REPORT 


ON  THE  INTRODUCTION  OF  A 


SUPPLY  OF  PURE  WATER 

INTO  THE 

CITY  OF  ROCHESTER, 

MADE  TO  THE 

MAYOR  AND  COMMON  COUNCIL, 


SEPTEMBER,  1860. 


BY  DANIEL  MAKSH, 

CIVIL  ENGINEEK* 


\ 


ROCHESTER : 

STEAM  PRESS  OF  C.  D.  TRACY  <fe  CO.,  EVENING  EXPRESS  OFFICE. 

1860. 


^ 5 %.  L 
M $5  /b 


Jb  ^6  Honorable 

The  Mayor  and  Common  Council 

Of  the  City  of  Rochester : 

Gentlemen  : — In  compliance  with  a Eesolution  of  your 
Honorable  Board,  passed  March  20, 1860, 1 have  made  a Survey 
and  Estimate  of  a system  of  Water  Works  for  the  City,  and 
herewith  respectfully  submit  for  your  consideration,  a Eeport  of 
the  proposed  plan,  with  estimates  of  cost,  and  a map  of  the 
contemplated  route. 

DANIEL  MAESH. 

Eochester,  N.  Y.,  August,  1860. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


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REPORT, 

On  the  Introduction  of  a/n  abundcmt  Supply  of  pure  and  whole- 
some Water  into  the  City  of  Rochester. 


Many  considerations  might  be  presented  to  show  the  import- 
ance of  furnishing  this  city,  from  some  one  of  the  numerous 
sources  situated  beyond  its  limits,  with  an  adequate  supply  of 
that  element  so  essential  to  the  business,  safety,  health  and  com- 
fort of  its  population.  Yet  the  necessity  of  obtaining  this  great 
and  desirable  boon  for  our  citizens,  is  now  perhaps  so  generally 
conceded,  that  it  will  not  be  expedient  in  this  place  to  dwell  upon 
the  many  obvious  and  imperative  reasons  why  this  enterprise 
should  be  undertaken,  and  we  may  proceed  at  once  to  state  some 
of  the  leading  characteristics  of  the  Water  Works  in  other  cities, 
and  also  some  of  the  particular  local  facilities  and  disadvantages 
attending  the  accomplishment  of  a similar  work  for  Rochester. 

The  following  Circular  Letter  has  been  recently  addressed  to 
the  Presidents  or  Superintendents  of  all  the  Water  Companies, 
or  Water  Boards  in  the  country,  and  very  satisfactory  answers 
have  been  returned,  either  by  definite  replies  to  the  interrogato- 
ries in  the  circular,  or  by  sending  their  printed  annual  reports* 


6 


To  the  President  and  Directors  of  the  Water  Works  Company 

or  the  Superintendent  of  Water  Works , m 

The  construction,  at  an  early  day,  of  a system  of  Water  Works, 
for  this  city,  being  in  contemplation  by  our  citizens,  any  infor- 
mation on  the  subject  which  you  may  be  able  to  afford  us,  will 
be  duly  and  thankfully  appreciated. 

Allow  us  to  request,  at  your  earliest  convenience,  answers  to 
the  inquiries  embraced  in  the  accompanying  abstract. 

Please  fill  the  blanks,  so  far  as  practicable,  and  return  the 
sheet,  addressed  to  “Daniel  Marsh,  Engineer,  Rochester,  Monroe 
County,  N.  Y.” 

Will  you  also  favor  us  with  copies  of  your  printed  Water 
Kates,  Bills,  Regulations,  &c.,  and  of  your  latest  Reports  ? 

S.  W.  D.  MOORE, 

Mayor  of  Rochester. 
C.  J.  HAYDEN, 

President  Rochester  Water  Works  Company. 
II.  D.  SCRANTOM, 

Mayor  of  Rochester. 
DANIEL  MARSH, 

Engi/nee 

Please  fill  up  the  blanks  opposite  the  following  items  of  inf  or* 
mation , relative  to  Water  Works , in 

When  was  the  construction  commenced  ? 

When  was  the  construction  completed  % 

What  was  the  original  cost  ? 

What  was  the  estimated  cost  ? 

What  is  the  extent  of  main  pipe  ? 

What  is  the  extent  of  distributing  pipe  ? 

What  is  the  size  of  main  pipe  ? 

What  is  the  size  of  smallest  street  pipe  ? 

Of  what  material  is  the  pipe  composed  ? 

What  the  extent  of  cast  iron  pipe  ? 


Do. 

wrought  iron  pipe 

Do. 

lead  pipe  ? 

Do. 

wood  pipe  ? 

Comparative  merits  of  each  ? 


7 


What  is  the  daily  supply  of  water  furnished  ? 

Source  whence  the  water  is  obtained  ? 

, Is  the  water  introduced  by  Water  Power? 

Steam  Power  ? 
or  Gravity? 

What  is  the  population  of  your  place  ? 

Assessed  valuation  of  Keal  Estate  ? 

What  are  your  annual  expenses  ? 
f What  is  your  annual  income  ? 
i Vertical  head  of  water  over  the  street  pipe  ? 

Efficiency  of  Fire  Hydrants  ? 

Are  Eire  Engines  needed  and  used  ? 

Extent  of  recent  losses  by  fire  ? 

Comparative  rates  of  Insurance  before  and  since  completion 
of  Works? 

Comparative  frequency  of  Fires  since  completion  of  Works? 

Do  you  use  any  lead  service  pipe  ? 

With  what  effect  upon  the  health  of  water-takers  ? ' 

In  the  progress  of  this  survey,  the  expediency  of  embracing  a 
large  storing  Keservoir,  in  the  plan  of  Water  Works  for  Koch- 
ester,  became  an  important  question.  Such  reservoirs  have 
recently  been  constructed  in  several  instances,  and  by  retaining 
the  surplus  water  of  that  period  of  the  year  when  there  is  abund- 
ance, in  store,  to  be  distributed  during  the  period  of  drought  and 
deficiency,  afford  a plentiful  supply  from  sources  which  do  not 
during  the  dry  season  alone,  furnish  half  the  required  quantity. 
For  the  last  few  years  there  has  been  frequent  complaint  of  the 
quality  of  the  water  drawn  in  summer  from  the  reservoirs  at  some 
of  the  most  important  Water  Works  in  the  country;  it  was 
believed  therefore,  that  the  most  sure  and  satisfactory  course, 
was  to  ascertain  by  personal  observation  and  inquiry  as  to  the 
success  attending  the  experiment  of  large  Keservoirs. 

To  obtain  this  information,  the  necessary  tour  and  examina- 
tion were  made  late  in  June  last. 


8 


It  may  facilitate  the  inquiry  as  to  the  feasibility  and  expedi- 
ency of  any  plan  of  works  which  may  be  proposed  for  our 
consideration,  to  give  some  account  of  the  successful  efforts  of 
other  cities  in  obtaining  a supply  of  water,  and  to  present  the 
whole  subject  of  Water  Works  for  Rochester,  in  the  following 
order : 

Principal  Water  Works  in  other  cities. 

General  Table  of  Analysis. 

Tabular  Statement  of  Water  Statistics. 

Different  Modes  of  conveying  W ater  into  Cities. 

Quantity  of  Water  required. 

Distributing  Reservoirs. 

Sources  of  Supply  for  Rochester. 

Quality  of  these  Waters. 

Storing  and  Subsiding  Reservoirs. 

Conductors  of  Water. 

System  of  Distribution  for  Rochester. 

Estimates  of  Cost. 

Probable  Income. 


Principal  Water  Works  in  Other  Cities. 


Philadelphia. — The  first  works  of  much  importance  which 
were  constructed  in  this  country  to  supply  the  inhabitants  of  a 
populous  district  with  water  from  beyond  the  inhabited  territory, 
were  commenced  in  this  city  about  1799.  At  an  early  day, 
Benjamin  Franklin  publicly  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
ravages  of  contagious  disease,  and  particularly  the  Yellow  Fever, 
which  had  but  recently  visited  the  city,  were  doubtless  greatly 
increased  by  the  limited  and  impure  supply  of  water,  and  he 


9 


pointed  out  the  necessity  and  practicability  of  procuring  an 
abundant  supply  from  beyond  the  city.  He  provided  in  his  will 
to  aid  in  bringing  the  water  of  the  Wissahiekon  Creek  into  the 
town.  In  1797,  this  suggestion  was  discussed  in  the  City  Coun- 
cil, and  ip  1801,  the  Center  Square  Works,  were  completed,  and 
began  supplying  the  city,  by  means  of  steam  power,  with  water 
from  the  Schuylkill  River.  These  works,  which  cost  the  City 
about  $657,000,  are  now  entirely  out  of  use. 

Of  the  works  which  were  constructed  at  Fairmount,  those 
which  raised  the  water  from  the  Schuylkill  by  steam  power,  were 
completed  in  1815,  and  those  which  make  use  of  water  power 
for  that  purpose,  were  completed  in  1823.  The  latter  only  are 
in  use  at  the  present  time.  These  works  consist  of  8 Breast 
Wheels,  and  one  Turbine,  which  with  suitable  pumping  machi- 
nery, are  together  capable  of  elevating  721,219  gallons  of  water 
per  hour,  into  four  combined  reservoirs,  which  are  situated  on 
adjacent  elevated  ground  96  feet  above  the  Schuylkill.  The 
whole  capacity  of  the  Fairmount  Reservoirs  is  46,413,867  gal- 
lons. These  works  are  to  be  enlarged  this  season  by  the  addition 
of  two  Turbine  Wheels. 

The  Schuylkill  Works  were  erected  in  1844,  and  consist  of 
4 steam  engines  and  pumps,  and  10  boilers.  The  water  is  raised 
115  feet  into  a Reservoir,  which  wdll  contain  9,800,000  gallons. 
All  the  pumps  are  connected  with  one  stand  pipe,  137  feet  high. 

The  Delaware  Works  are  on  the  Delaware  River.  They  have 
2 engines  and  2 Reservoirs  capable  of  containing  9,284,000  gal- 
lons. The  quality  of  the  water  taken  from  the  Delaware  River, 
is  not  so  satisfactory,  as  that  of  the  Schuylkill.  The  Water 
Department  have  recommended  to  the  City  Council  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  Delaware  Works,  and  the  procuring  of  the  supply 

of  water  for  the  entire  City,  from  the  Schuylkill  River. 

2 


10 


The  Twenty-Fourth  Ward  Works  are  on  the  West  side  of  the 
Schuylkill  River.  Two  Cornish  engines  force  the  water  2,000 
feet  into  a stand  pipe  230  feet  above  the  River.  The  distribu- 
tion is  made  directly  from  street  mains  connected  with  the  stand 
pipe,  without  a Distributing  Reservoir. 

The  total  cost,  the  annual  income  and  expenses,  and  other 
interesting  statistics  of  these  works,  as  well  as  of  all  others  from 
which  returns  could  be  obtained,  will  be  stated  in  a table  to  be 
annexed  to  these  descriptions. 

New  York. — The  Croton  Water  Works,  which  are  the  most 
extensive  and  costly  in  this  country,  were  completed  and  first 
supplied  the  city  with  the  water  of  Croton  River,  in  1812.  By 
a dam  40  feet  high,  across  the  stream,  a Reservoir  or  Lake,  of 
400  acres  is  formed,  capable  of  containing  400,000,000  gallons 
of  water. 

From  this  source,  the  water  is  conducted  through  an  aqueduct 
of  stone,  lined  with  brick,  a distance  of  38  miles,  to  a Receiving 
Reservoir  in  the  City,  of  31  acres,  and  thence  by  iron  pipe,  to 
the  Distributing  Reservoir  of  4 acres,  at  Fortieth  Street.  The 
water  is  conveyed  across  Harlem  River  in  iron  pipe,  about  1377 
feet  long,  depressed  about  11  feet  below  the  grade  line  of  the 
Aqueduct,  and  supported  on  a high  bridge,  consisting  of  15 
arches.  This  work  is  150  feet  high  above  the  foundations,  and 
21  feet  wide  upon  the  top.  The  actual  supply  of  water  for  the 
City  of  Hew  York,  and  the  capacity  of  the  -works  was  limited 
at  the  High  Bridge,  to  30,000,000  gallons  per  day,  by  the  size 
of  the  main  pipe  at  this  place — there  being  two  pipes  of  3 feet 
diameter  each.*  A new  pipe  of  boiler  iron,  of  7 feet  diameter, 
is  to  be  laid  across  the  Bridge  this  season.  Across  the  Manhat- 
tan Yalley,  the  water  is  conveyed  in  pipe,-  at  a depression  in  the 
lowest  part  below  the  grade  of  the  aqueduct,  of  102  feet* 


*See  Note  B. 


11 


From  the  Distributing  Beservoir  at  Fortieth  Street,  the  water 
is  conveyed  through  the  city  by  263  miles  of  cast  iron  pipe,  of 
various  sizes.  The  whole  extent  of  Beservoirs  in  New  York,  is 
35  acres,  and  their  capacity,  170,000,000  gallons.  To  these,  it 
is  proposed  to  add  a Beservoir  of  large  extent,  near  the  new 
Park,  the  construction  of  which  is  already  considerably  advanced. 

It  is  generally  understood  that  the  original  estimated  cost  of 
this  work  was  $7,000,000,  that  when  the  water  was  introduced 
into  the  city,  in  1842,  the  expenditure  amounted  to  from  $13  to 
$14,000,000.  The  cost  of  the  whole  work,  exclusive  of  the  pipes, 
in  the  city,  below  the  Distributing  Beservoir,  was  $9,000,000. 
The  late  President  of  the  Board,  Nicholas  Dean,  stated  publicly 
in  1853,  that  the  total  cost  at  that  time  amounted  to  $21,000,000, 
and  at  an  interview  recently  with  the  Chief  Engineer,  I was 
informed  that  the  total  cost  at  the  present  time  amounted  to 
$23,000,000. 

Boston. — This  city  obtains  its*  supply  from  Long  Pond,  or 
Cochituate  Lake,  from  which  it  is  conducted  in  a brick  conduit, 
15  miles  long,  to  Brookline  Beservoir,  situated  about  5 miles 
westerly  from  Boston.  This  Beservoir  is  about  22  acres  in  extent, 
and  will  contain  89,909,000  gallons.  Thence  the  water  is  conveyed 
by  iron  pipe,  to  Beservoirs  on  Beacon  ILill,  and  also  upon  elevated 
ground  in  both  East  and  South  Boston.  The  capacity  of  these 
works  to  furnish  water  to  the  City,  was  much  increased  during 
the  last  season,  by  laying  down  an  additional  and  large-sized 
main  from  the  Brookline  Beservoir  to  Boston.  The  Beservoir 
on  Beacon  Hill  is  a substantial  and  beautiful  structure  of  granite, 
supported  by  massive  stone  arches — those  in  East  and  South 
Boston  consist  of  earth  embankments.  The  total  capacity  of 
these  Beservoirs  is  15,779,030  gallons.  Cochituate  Lake  has  an 
area  of  660  acres,  and  can  supply  more  than  30,000,000  gallons 


12 


per  day,  for  the  year.  Two  compensating  Eeservoirs  have  been 
constructed,  to  restore  to  the  outlet  of  this  Lake  a quantity  of 
water  equivalent  to  the  original  flow  from  the  Lake,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  maintaining  the  rights  of  the  owners  of  hydraulic  power 
below.  In  respect  to  the  quality  of  the  water  introduced,  and 
to  the  economy  with  which  this  supply  is  made,  these  Works  may 
compare  very  favorably  with  those  of  any  other  large  city  in  the 
country.  The  comparative  quality  of  the  water,  and  cost  to  water 
takers,  are  exhibited  in  the  table  of  general  analysis,  and  in  that 
of  cost  of  Water  Works.  Two  evils  attend  these  advantages, — 
that  of  the  corrosion  of  the  water  pipes  on  their  interior  surface, 
and  that  of  the  unpleasant  smell  and  unwholesome  character  of 
the  water  supplied  during  a short  period  of  the  last  two  or  three 
years.  For  the  first,  no  effectual  remedy  has  been  found,  but  for 
the  last,  I have  little  doubt,  from  personal  examination,  and  from 
the  opinions  and  tests  of  our  most  experienced  chemists,  that  an 

effectual  remedy  will  be  found. 

% 

Pittsburg — Is  supplied  with  water  from  the  Allegany  Eiver 
by  steam  power.  There  are  two  Distributing  Eeservoirs,  one  at 
an  elevation  of  160  feet  above  the  Eiver,.  and  the  other  of  396. 
To  the  first  Eeservoir,  the  water  is  raised  by  two  engines,  and  to 
the  upper  Eeservoir  the  water  is  raised  from  the  lower  one  by 
two  engines  also.  The  pumping  main  between  the  Eeservoirs  is 
used  as  a distributing  main,  the  water  being  served  directly  to 
the  inhabitants  by  the  force  of  the  pumps,  which  is  believed  to 
have  an  unfavorable  effect  upon  the  water,  and  causes  much  com- 
plaint. The  Eeservoirs  are  formed  of  earth  embankments  lined 
with  brick.  The  cost  of  these  works  was  £700,000  in  1853,  and 
those  of  Allegany  City  cost  $331,442.  This  suburb,  like  Pitts- 
burg itself,  obtains  its  supply  from  the  Allegany  Eiver  by  two 
steam  engines,  which  force  the  water  206  feet  to  the  Eeservoir. 


13 


Brooklyn — lias  just  completed  an  extensive  system  of  Water 
Works,  and  is  receiving  a supply  of  the  purest  water  from  a 
series  of  springs  and  small  streams  on  the  south  shore  of  Lono- 
.sland.  A storing  Beservoir  has  been  formed  at  a very  consid- 
erable expense,  by  removing  from  the  natural  basins  in  which 
hose  streams  originate  all  perishable  material  and  deposit  which 
vouid  bejmfavorable  to  the  purity  of  the  wrater,  and  from  such 
•eservoirs  the  water  is  conducted  in  a conduit  of  brick  to  the 
jump  well.  From  this  point  the  water  is  forced  through  a large 
nain  three-fifths  of  a mile  to  a Beservoir,  elevated  170  feet  above 
;ide.  This  pumping  engine  is  a double  acting  cylinder  engine, 
•ind  one  of  the  [largest  in  the  world,  capable  of  raising  to  the 
Reservoir,  10,000,000  gallons  of  water  in  24  hours.  A duplicate 
>f  this  engine  is  soon  to  be  added  to  the  works. 

The  Bidgewood  Beservoir  covers  a surface  of  32  acres,  and  is 
capable  of  containing  17 0,000,000  gallons.  It  is  the  largest  arti- 
lcial  Beservoir,  and  constructed  on  the  best  site  for  such  a work 
n the  United  States.  From  this  receptacle,  which  is  distant 
ibout  6 miles  from  the  City  Hall  in  Brooklyn,  the  water  is  con- 
veyed by  about  170  miles,  of  pipe,  of  various  sizes  throughout 
the  city,  except  a small  territory  around  the  sides  of  Prospect 
Hill.  A small  engine  is  to  be  erected  ? to  raise  water  from  the 
nains,  near  the  hill  to  a reservoir  on  its  summit,  from  which  any 
'part  of  the  city  can  be  supplied. 

1 Within  20  miles  from  the  City  Hall  in  Brooklyn,  40,000,000 
gallons  of  water  per  day  can  be  collected  on  the  south  side  of  the 
island,  and  within  23  miles  on  the  north  more  than  20,000,000 
gallons.  This  city  can  not,  therefore,  be  without  a bountiful  'sup- 
ply of  the  purest  water,  until  her  population  shall  exceed  one 
'million. 

Albany — obtains  its  supply  of  water  from  Patroon’s  Creek, 


14 


upon  which  two  reservoirs  have  been  constructed;  the  largest  and 
most'  distant  being  called  Rensselaer  Lake,  and  the  other  Water- 
vliet  Lake.  From  Kensselaer  Lake  the  water  is  conveyed  bj-  a 
brick  acqueduct,  4 miles  long,  to  the  Distributing  Reservoir  (Bleek- 
er  Reservoir,)  and  then  to  all  the  city  above  Pearl  Street,  by  cast 
iron  pipes.  Those  portions  below  this  street,  are  supplied  directly 
from  the  Watervliet  or  Tivoli  Reservoir — the  higher  and  the 
lower  service  being  thus  disconnected,  except  at  times  when  a 
greater  than  the  ordinary  head  is]  required  to  extinguish  fires, 
and  then  the  whole  head  from  Bleeker  Reservoir  is  put  on 
to  the  pipe  on  the  lower  streets.  The  Watervliet  Reservoir 
consists  of  two  parts,  a subsiding  and  a distributing  reservoir,  so 
arranged  that  the  water  of  the  Creek,  when  very  turbid,  is  passed 
through  waste  gates,  and  not  again  received  into  the  reservoirs 
until  restored  to  its  usual  purity.  The  extent  of  all  these  reser- 
voirs is  above  60  acres,  and  their  capacity  230,000,000  gallons. 

At  the  Bleeker  Reservoir  the  water  is  drawn  from  near  the 
surface,  or  the  bottom  of  the  Reservoir,  as  the  quality  of  the 
water  may  at  either  point  be  most  suitable  for  distribution. 

Hartford — is  supplied  from  the  Connecticut  River  by  steam 
power.  The  Reservoir  is  118  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  river, 
and  is  formed  of  earth  embankments  raised  to  considerable 
height,  with  the  inner  slopes  lined.  These  works  have  the  usual 
arrangement  of  supply-pipe,  pump  well,  and  pumping  engine. — 
The  latter  is  of  a novel  character,  being  a double  acting  force 
pump,  and  imparting  a uniform  and  continuous  movement  to 
the  column  of  water  from  the  pump  to  the  Reservoir.  No  stand 
pipe  is  required,  and  it  is 'claimed  that  this  engine  performs  a very 
high  rate  of  duty,  being  50,000,000  pounds  of  water  raised  one 
foot  high  with  100  pounds  of  coal.  It  is  in  contemplation  to 
introduce  an  additional  supply  of  water  by  gravity,  to  be  dis- 
tributed from  a higher  elevation  than  the  present  reservoir. 


15 


j Jersey  City — is  furnished  with  water  from  the  Passaic  River, 
. by  steam  power,  the  works  having  been  completed  in  1859,  at  a 
post  of  $1,118,790.  The  supply  of  the  City  was  commenced  with 
, single  Cornish  engine,  acting  without  a stand  pipe — this  usual 
appendage  of  the  Cornish  engine  has  been  erected  the  past  sea- 
son with  a good  result,  and  it  is  proposed  to  duplicate  the  engine 
and  pump.  The  water  is  conveyed  2,300  feet  in  pipe  to  the 

.I 

Receiving  Reservoir,  157  feet  above  the  River,  and  thence  across 
;he  Hackensack  marshes  to  the  Distributing  Reservoir  on  Ber- 

i . 

^en  Hill,  about  6 miles  distant.  The  Reservoir  will  contain 

30.000. 000  gallons.  The  difference  of  level  between  these  reser- 
voirs is  25  feet,  and  the  iron  main  20  icches  in  diameter,  delivers 

2.000. 000  gallons  on  Bergen  Hill,  in  21  hours. 

; Buffalo , Cleveland , Detroit  and  Chicago — are  all  sirpplied 
with  water  from  the  Lakes,  or  from  the  Rivers  into  which  their 
waters  are  discharged.  _ In  all  these  places  the  works  are  quite 
similar,  the  water  being  brought  by  an  inlet  pipe  of  considerable 
length,  to  the  pump  well,  and  thence  forced  directly  by  one  or 
more  large  engines  to  a reservoir  situated  on  the  highest  ground 
which  could  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  those  places,  except  that 
in  Chicago  no  such  elevation  could  be  found  ; and  its  place  is 
supplied  by  an  elevated  tank.  In  Cleveland,  such  elevation  is 
attained  by  an  artificial  embankment,  at  an  expense  of  $80,000. 
At  Buffalo,  the  water  is  conveyed  from  the  River  to  the  pump 
well,  by  a tunnel  excavated  through  the  rock  under  the  Erie 
,0anal.  The  Reservoirs  at  both  Buffalo  and  Detroit  are  of  too 
little  elevation  for  the  purposes  of  a good  distribution.  Constant 
'pumping,  at  great  expense,  will  always  attend  the  supply  of 
^hese  cities  with  water,  but  it  could  be  obtained  in  no  better  way. 
The  water  of  these  Lakes  appears  from  frequent  analysis  to  con- 
tain very  little  foreign  matter,  except  during  the  prevalance  of  a 


16 


storm,  when  the  water  pumped  to  the  Reservoir,  and  thence 
distributed  to  the  inhabitants  of  those  cities,  is  turbid  and  un- 
pleasant. 

Cincinnati , St.  Lous,  Louisville  and  New  Orleans — obtain 
water  from  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers,  by  steam  power. 
At  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis  the  works  are  old,  and  inadequate 
to  the  full  supply  of  those  flourishing  cities.  From  the  want  ot 
sufficient  capacity  in  the  Reservoir  at  Cincinnati,  the  water  is 
pumped  from  the  River,  and  distributed  to  the  people  on  the 
same  day,  causing  serious  complaint  of  the  quality  of  the  water 
whenever  the  river  is  low.  The  works  at  Louisville  are  now  in 
the  course  of  construction. 

At  Troy , Utica , Syracuse , Cohoes  and  Geneva , N.  Y.,  and 
Springfield,  Mass.,  Water  Works  which  furnish  those  places 
more  or  less  liberally,  have  been  some  time  in  operation. 

Baltimore,  Richmond  and  Savannah  are  provided  with  Water 
W orks  ; and  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  works  on  a liberal  scale  are 
in  progress,  designed  to  supply  to  the  Capital,  the  water  of  the 
Potomac  River. 

Recently,  Rocldand,  Me.;  Cambridge,  Plymouth  and  Pitts- 
field, Mass.;  Bridgeport  and  New  Britain,  Conn.;  Malone , 
Watertown  and  Saratoga  Springs,  FT.  Y.;  Paterson,  Newark, 
Trenton  and  Elizabeth,  FT.  J.;  Scranton  and  LLarrisburgh,  Pa., 
have  constructed  Water  Works  of  a liberal  character,  capable 
of  supplying  those  places  very  fully.  Statistical  information 
relative  to  them  may  be  found  in  the  subjoined  table. 

At  Toronto,  Montreal  and  Quebec,  in  Canada,  important 
works  have  been  constructed  for  the  supply  of  those  cities. 


17 


Table  showing  the  quality  of  the  Water  used  for  the  Supply  of 
Various  Cities , both  in  this  country  and  in  Europe. 


City  Supplied. 

Source  of  Supply;  or,  name  of  Water! 
Works. 

Pe:  sons  making  or  reporting 
the  Analyses. 

No.  grains  pr. 
gallon. 

London  

Thames. 

Professor  Brand. 

28. 

6 6 

New  River. 

“ 

19.20 

66 

Average  of  total  supply. 

H.  P.  M.  Burkinbine. 

21.46 

66 

Well  St.  Paul’s  Church  Yard, 

Wm.  J.  McAlpine. 

75.00 

“ 

“ Lambeth  (shallow.) 

66 

100.10 

Paris,  

River  Seine. 

Baldwin  & Stevenson. 

12.74 

“ 

Artesian  Well. 

Wm.  J.  McAlpine. 

9.86 

Lyons, 

River  Rhone. 

Lake  Geneva. 

Baldwin  & Stevenson. 
66 

12.88 

10.64 

New  York,... 

Manhattan  Well. 

F.  B.  Tower. 

125.00 

66 

Average  of  several  wells. 

“ 

58.00 

66 

Croton  River  at  Dam. 

66 

4.99 

66 

Croton. 

B.  Silliman. 

10.93 

“ 

66 

B.  Silliman,  Jr. 

6,66 

6.10 

Philadelphia 

Schuylkill  River. 

6 6 

Booth  and  Garnett. 

66 

Baye. 

4.42 

66 

66 

B.  Silliman. 

5.50 

“ 

“ 

F.  B Tower. 

4.08 

Boston, 

Cochituate  Lake, 
do. 

do.  62  feet  deep 

do. 

Well  Beacon  Hill. 

Average  three  wells. 

Average  of  Croton  Analyses. 
“ Schuylkill  “ 

•“  Cochituate  “ 

Wm.  J.  McAlpine. 

H.  P.  M.  Burkinbine. 
Wm.  J.  McAlpine. 

Dr.  Jackson. 

66 

6 6 

1.85 

3.37 

3.57 

5.00 

50.00 

44.46 

7.26 

5.02 

3.45 

Brooklyn,... 

66 

Average  several  wells. 

J.  R.  Chilton. 

45.40 

Long  Island  streams. 

66 

2.48 

66 

do.  do.  do.  2nd  sample. 

66 

2.367 

Albany, 

Hudson  River. 

Dr.  Emmons. 

7.24 

66 

66  66 

“ 

6.32 

6 6 

Rensselaer  Lake. 

66 

4.72 

66 

Well  Capital  Park. 

66 

65.52 

66 

Average  several  wells. 

66 

48.69 

Cambridge,  .. 

Fresh  Pond. 

Baldwin  & Stevenson. 

6.32 

Jersey  City,.. 

Passaic  River. 

66 

7.44 

Troy, 

Mohawk  River. 

66 

7.88 

Served  by  Water  Works. 

6.29 

Hartford, 

Connecticut  River. 

M.  C.  Weld. 

2.618 

Cincinnati  ... 

Ohio  River. 

J.  M.  Locke. 

6.73 

Detroit 

Supply  from  River. 

Prof.  Douglass. 

5.72 

66 

Wells. 

“ 

116.46 

Indianapolis, 

Wells. 

D.  Marsh. 

60.00 

Montreal,...  . 

Ottawa  and  St.  Lawrence. 

T.  C.  Keifer. 

7.04 

Quebec, 

St.  Charles  River. 

H.  P.  M.  Burkinbine. 

8.10 

Hamilton,  ... 

Grand  River. 

Sam’l.  McElroy. 

12.66 

66 

Burlington  Bay. 

<« 

8.44 

Elmira, 

Carr’s  Creek. 

ID.  Marsh. 

4.00 

3 


18 


Table  showing  the  Cost , the  Annual  Receipts  and 
the  principal  Water  Works 


City  Supplied. 

Cost  of  Works. 

Daily  Supply. 
Gallons. 

Ext’nt  of  pipe, 
miles. 

Power  used. 
Water  and  steam. 

Philadelphia, 

$ 3,900,000 

19,638,442 

306£ 

New  York, 

23,000,000 

30, 000, 000 -j- 

263 

Gravity. 

Boston,  

5,574,323 

15,000,000 

130 

do. 

Pittsburg, 

700,000 

4,075,755 

26f 

Steam. 

Brooklyn,  

4,800,000 

10,000,000 

170 

do. 

Albany,  

1,074,790 

2, 500, 000 t- 

46 

Gravity. 

Hartford, 

427,587 

785,338 

26 

Steam. 

Jersey  City, 

973,326 

2,000,000 

28* 

do. 

Buffalo, 

530,000 

3,000,000 

32 

do. 

Cleveland, 

550,000 

1,000,000 

22 

do. 

Detroit,  

829,925 

2,142,774 

61 

do. 

Chicago, 

1,014,146 

3,000,000 

72J 

do. 

Cincinnati, 

1,359,500 

4,618,567 

76 

do 

New  Orleans, 

1,000,000 

6,000,000 

55 

do. 

Troy, 

205,000 

Gravity. 

Utica, 

75,000  . 

800,000 

10 

do. 

Rockland,  

50,000 

20 

do. 

Cambridge, 

300,000 

400,000 

16 

Steam. 

Plymouth, 

82,000 

60,000 

11 

Gravity. 

Bridgeport, 

115,000 

400,000 

15 

do. 

New  Britain, 

50,000 

300,000 

10 

do. 

Malone,  

12.000 

30,000 

5* 

do. 

Watertown, 

50,000 

9 

water  power. 

Elizabethtown, 

109,628 

500,000 

7 

Steam. 

Trenton, 

117,000 

ioj 

water  power. 

Scranton,  

100,000 

75,000 

H 

Steam 

Washington, 

5,000,000  + 

67,000,000 

Gravity. 

Rochester,  

2,000,000 

50 

do. 

See  note  B. 


19 


Expenses,  the  Capacity,  and  other  characteristics  of 
in  the  United  States. 


Annual  expenses. 

Annual  Re- 
ceipts. 

Reservoir 
above  str’s. 

No  of  Fire 
hydrants. 

Capacity  of  Re-1  Number  of 
servoir.  gall’s. | Takers 

Rate  per 
headjg’is 

Date  of 
cons'n. 

$79,389 

$551,180 

94-1 15ft. 

2,680 

655,000,000 

64,125 

50 

1853 

62,257 

809,219 

80-100 

600,000,000 

70 

1842 

29,088 

316,290 

10-125 

1,363 

106,000,000 

23,276 

72 

1848 

26,000 

63,000 

160 

40 

1829 

17a 

240,000,000 

40 

1860 

8,000 

80,517 

100-140 

251 

230,000,000 

4,600 

36-4- 

1852 

7,771 

26,000 

30-110 

138 

8,000,000 

3,933 

40 

1856 

20,000 

65,000 

100 

40 

1854 

19,000 

50,000 

88 

13,000,000 

36 

1852 

8,623 

13,980 

40-160 

132 

1,000 

20-4- 

1856 

15,586 

57,192 

17-73 

238 

5,237,000 

6,794 

30 

1853 

35,372 

102,709 

50-90 

283 

493,000 

8,231 

23-4- 

1854 

51,303 

184,837 

10-100 

5,000,000 

40 

1859 

26,000 

140,000 

50 

31 

1838 

5,000 

21,941 

70 

1834 

1,300 

9,000 

140 

36 

1849 

1,500  j 

5,000 

80 

1852 

3,500 

12,000 

60 

13 

1858 

500 

3,700 

95 

14 

1856 

2,000 

7,000 

115 

20 

200,000,000 

40 

1853 

175 

16 

400,000,000 

1859 

250 

1,500 

145 

6 

1857 

1,500 

3,300 

150-240 

636 

5,000,000 

360 

1853 

1,600 

30-60 

50 

50-4- 

1858 

| 

30-100 

1856 

150 

12 

1858 

1 

145 

70-130 

200 

60,000,000 

' 5,500 

'40 

186 

20 


Table  showing  the  Elevation  of  the  points  named  above  Lake 
Ontario , or  above  the  Erie  Canal  in  Rochester. 


LOCALITIES.  j 

Distance  from  1 
tochester-Miles. 

ibove  Lake  Ontario. — 
Number  of  feet. 

Top  of  Lower  Falls, 

2 

98 

Head  of  Buell  Avenue, 

2 

208 

Lake  Yiew, 

279 

Erie  Canal  in  Rochester,  

260 

Above  the  Erie  Canal  in  Rochester. 

Summit  of  Spring  Street, 

18 

“ Plymouth  Avenue, 

19 

“ St.  Paul  Street, 

24 

“ Court  Street,  

26 

“ Gibbs  and  Main  Streets, 

30 

East  Avenue, 

28 

“ Buffalo  and  Genesee  Streets, 

24 

Washington  Square, 

26 

Brown  “ 

Franklin  “ 

26 

Fourth  and  South  part  of  Fifth  and  Sixth 

Wards, 

25 

Seventh  Ward, 

2-20 

Twelfth  “ 

2-30 

Eighth  “ 

10-30 

Third  “ 

0-20 

Second  and  North  part  of  First, 

Below 

Ninth  Ward, .' 

U 

North  part  of  Fifth  and  Sixth  Wards, 

< < 

Genesee  River  at  Main  Street, 

28  below 

“ “ Clarissa  Street,  

5 “ 

Allen’s  Creek  at  Scottsville, 

12 

22J 

Conesus  outlet  at  Avon, 

21 

40 

Honeoye  Falls, 

16 

145 

Honeoye  outlet  at  Smithtown,  

17 

204 

Honeoye  and  Hemlock  outlets  at  Junction,... 

22} 

l 284 

Site  of  Reservoir  near  “ “ 

23“ 

1 295 

Outlet  Richmond  Mills, 

235- 

326 

Hemlock  Lake, 

28° 

388 

Honeoye  Lake, 

28 

290 

Canadice  Lake, 

28 

500 

W^ads worth’s  hill,  Eighth  W^ard, 

LV'  ‘ 

50 

Ridge  west  of  Mount  Hope, 

2“ 

. 60 

Ho.  east  “ “ 

113 

Hill  in  east  part  of  Henrietta, 

6 

125 

Mendon  Ponds, 

8 

131 

21 


Modes  of  Conveying  Water  into  Cities. 

Residing  in  a city  which  is  surrounded  by  streams  and  bodies 
of  water,  any  one  of  which  cou-ld  be  made  to  flow  through  our 
streets  by  means  of  steam  or  waterpower,  and  very  few  of  which 
can  be  made  to  flow  into  the  city  by  gravity,  the  comparative 
expense  of  these  different  modes  of  introducing  the  required 
supply  of  water  becomes  to  our  citizens  a very  interesting  and 
pertinent  inquiry. 

Whenever  the  source  from  which  a community  can  be  ade- 
quately supplied,  is  sufficiently  elevated  and  near  to  the  district 
requiring  the  service,  such  conduit  as  will  permit  the  water  to 
flow  into  the  Distributing  Reservoir  by  the  force  of  its  own  grav- 
ity, being  simple  and  economical,  and  least  of  all  modes  liable 
to  casualities  or  failure,  is  doubtless  preferable  to  all  other  modes. 
Even  when  the  source  is  more  distant,  and  the  cost  of  the  addi- 
tional length  of  conduit  required*  would  amount  to  a sum  whose 
interest  would  pay  the  expense  of  a supply  by  pumping,  the 
regulai  ity  and  greater  certainty  of  the  supply  by  gravity,  should 
give  to  this  mode  the  preference.  • 

Whenever  a resort  to  pumping  becomes  necessary,  water  power 
if  available,  is  the  most  economical  agent. 

In  the  Tabular  Statement  already  referred  to,  the  comparative 
original  cost  of  the  works  from  which  returns  have  been  obtained, 
and  also  the  annual  receipts  and  expenses  in  each  case,  are 
given  with  a view  to  exhibit  the  merits  of  the  different  systems 
of  Water  Works  already  constructed  in  this  country,  and  the 
compartive  economy  of  obtaining  supplies  by  either  steam  power, 
water  power,  or  gravity. 

In  a subsequent  part  of  this  Report  some  statements  are  given 
showing  the  comparative  cost  of  Water  supplies,  when  obtained 
by  either  of  the  modes  referred  to. 


22 


Quantity  of  Water  Required. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  efforts  in  this  country  to  obtain 
water  supplies  for  cities,  25  to  30  gallons  per  clay  for  each  person 
of  the  district  to  be  supplied,  was  considered  an  ample  rate  to 
meet  all  the  demands  whatever  for  water.  But  more  recently 
the  experience  of  some  of  our  principal  cities,  indicates  the  wis- 
dom and  necessity  of  providing  for  a higher  rate  of  consump- 
tion. During  the  last  year,  the  distribution  from  the  Water 
Works  in  Boston,  was  at  the  rate  of  72  gallons  per  day  ; from  the 
Croton  Works  stated  to  be  70  gallons,  and  at  Philadelphia  from 
all  the  works,  it  was  at  the  rate  of  over  50  gallons  per  person,  of 
the  entire  population  of  those  places.  In  the  foregoing  Tabular 
Statement,  the  rate  of  consumption  in  other  cities  is  given. 

Although  40  gallons  per  day,  for  each  person  in  a popula- 
tion of  50,000,  would  perhaps  be  considered  a reasonable 
allowance  for  this  city,  at  the  present  time,  yet  it  would  be  un- 
wise to  construct  a system  of  works  at  great  expense,  to  be 
dependent  upon  a source  which  could  not  furnish,  if  it  should 
hereafter  be  needed,  at  least  as  much  as  60  gallons  per  day,  each, 
for  a population  of  100,000.  The  rate  first  above  named  would 
give  2,000,000  gallons,  and  the  last  6,000,000  per  day,  for  the  city. 

Distributing  Reservoir. 

A Reservoir  of  a capacity  sufficient  to  contain  a supply  oi 
water  for  several  days,  and  situated  at  an  elevation  which  will 
carry  the  water  by  the  force  of  gravity  alone,  to  every  part  oi 
the  district  to  be  supplied,  is  now  considered  indispensible  tc 
the  successful  operation  of  a system  of  Water  Works.  The  sub 
stitutes  for  this  mode  of  distribution,  which  have  been  resorted 
to  in  a few  instances,  are  two  ; a distribution  from  a stand  pipe 
and  a distribution  from  the  pumping  or  supply  main.  Botl 
plans  are  very  objectionable,  as  they  subject  the  service  of  wate] 


23 


to  the  citizens,  to  all  the  casualities  and  irregularities  ol  the 
pumping  machinery  ; and  probably  in  all  cases  increase  the 
expense  of  pumping  the  requisite  supply.  At  the  24th  Ward 
works  in  Philadelphia,  the  supply  costs  more  than  three  times  as 
much  per  1,000,000  gallons  as  that  from  the  Schuylkill  woiks, 

' where  there  is  a liberal  extent  of  Distributing  Reservoir.  Doubt- 
less this  excess  of  cost  is  attributable  in  part  to  the  greater  eleva- 
tion of  the  district  to  be  supplied  by  the  24th  Ward  Works. 
Both  these  plans  are  also  found  in  practice  to  be  objectionable, 
on  account  of  the  quality  of  the  water  when  served  directly  to 
the  water  takers  from  the  pipes,  without  previous  exposure  in 
open  space,  to  the  atmosphere. 

Whenever  a Distributing  Reservoir  is  so  small  that  it  will  not 
contain  more  than  one  day’s  demand,  as  is  the  case  at  Cincinnati, 
the  benefits  of  circulation  and  exposure  in  the  air  and  sun,  after 
passing  through  the  pumping  or  supply  main  are  lost.  It  is  also 
claimed  that  too  great  extent  in  a Distributing  Reservoir  is  a 
fault,  since  the  daily  supply  must  be  drawn  from  a body  of  water 
which  has  lain  for  weeks  in  a quiescent  state.  The  just  medium 
in  the  size  of  such  Reservoir  would  be  that  which  would  supply 
the  district  dependent  upon  it  during  the  time  required  for  any 
necessary  repairs  of  machinery  or  conduits,  and  which,  together 
with  a Receiving  Reservoir  near  at  hand,  will  contain  a supply 
for  two  or  three  weeks. 

For  whatever  purpose  a Reservoir  may  be  designed,  it  should 
have  a depth  sufficient  to  prevent  the  growth  of  aquatic  plants 
and  also  to  avoid  the  the  influence  of  elevated  temperature  upon 
organic  matter  at  the  bottom  of  the  Reservoir. 

Along  the  range  of  hills  east  of  Mount  Hope  Cemetery , sevei  al 
sites  may  be  found  for  the  economical  construction  of  a Distribu- 
ting Reservoir.  A water  surface  of  about  3 acres,  and  a capa- 


24 


city  of 30,000,000  gallons  may  be  obtained  here  without  difficulty, 
and  any  additional  extent  of  Beservoir  auxiliary  to  this,  may  be 
located  about  4 miles  further  south.  For  the  purpose  of  accu- 
rately comparing  the  several  plans  which  will  be  described  in 
detail,  in  a subsequent  part  of  this  Report,  the  summit  of  the 
ridge  directly  east  of  South  Avenue  has  been  assumed  as  a suit- 
able site  for  such  Reservoir. 

Sources  of  Supply  for  Rochester . 

Among  the  sources  from  which  this  city  may  be  abundantly 
supplied  with  water,  and  which  have  from  time  to  time  been  pro- 
posed to  be  used  for  that  purpose,  the  most  prominent  and 
important  ones  are : 

The  Genesee  River. 

Lake  Ontario. 

Irondequoit  Creek. 

Black  Creek. 

Little  Black  Creek,  or  the  Basin  in  which  it  rises. 

Caledonia  Spring. 

The  Mendon  Ponds. 

Honeoye  Outlet,  at  West  Rush. 

L>o.  do.  do.  Smithtown. 

Conesus  Lake. 

Hemlock  Lake. 

Of  these  bodies  and  streams  of  water,  the  most  obvious  and 
important  characteristics  may  be  stated  as  follows : 

The  Genesee  River,  which  flows  through  the  centre  of  the  city, 
with  a volume  of  water,  one-fiftieth  part  of  which  at  lowest  water, 
would  be  more  than  sufficient  to  supply  the  city,  would  furnish 
the  most  simple  and  cheap  mode  of  meeting  this  great  want  of  our 
population,  were  it  not  objectionable  on  account  of  the  quality 
of  the  water.  Besides  it's  proverbial  hardness,  the  water  of  this 


25 


river  is  frequently  rendered  turbid  and  unfit  for  use,  by  the  effects 
of  floods  in  the  River.  At  such  times  the  fine  mould  from  the 
alluvial  formation  of  the  valley  above,  is  borne  along,  mechani- 
cally suspended  in  such  quantities,  that  it  does  not  wholly  sub- 
side until  the  waters  of  the  river  are  intimately  mingled  with 
those  of  Lake  Ontario. 

By  means  of  subsiding  or  filtering  Reservoirs,  this  impurity 
might  probably  be  removed.  The  quality  termed  hardness,  is 
principally  owing  to  the  presence  of  lime  too  intimately  combined 
to  be  separated  by  filtration,  and  is  derived  princially  from  the 
tributaries  which  flow  into  the  River  upon  the  west  side,  below 
Mount  Morris,  and  although  not  invariable  in  its  proportion  to 
the  whole  quantity  of  water  in  the  River,  it  is  a serious  objection 
to  the  use  of  this,  as  a source  of  supply  for  Rochester,  unless 
Reservoirs  were  to  be  constructed  of  such  capacity,  that  resort 
to  the  River  itself  could  be  dispensed  with,  except  at  times  of 
high  water.  When  the  volume  of  the  River  is  increased  many 
fold  by  recent  rains,  the  aipount  of  lime-bearing  water,  in  the 
whole  quantity,  remains  almost  invariable,  and  thereby  the  de- 
gree of  hardness  is  greatly  diminished.  There  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  water  of  this  river  may  be  rendered  as  good  as  that  which 
is  now  supplied  to  many  cities  in  this  country,  and  much  better 
than  that  which  is  furnished  to  several  cities  of  Europe.  The 
unoccupied  water  power  at  the  Rapids  affords  a convenient  and 
economical  means  of  elevating  the  water  tothe  proposed  Distri- 
buting Reservoir. 

Lake  Ontario  presents  the  purest  and  most  copious  supply  of 
water  in  the  vicinity  of  Rochester.  The  distance  of  this  Lake 
from  any  suitable  site  for  a Distributing  Reservoir,  and  the  eleva- 
tion to  which  the  water  must  be  raised  by  either  steam  or  water 

power,  although  very  serious  objections  to  this  plan  of  supplying 
4 


26 


the  city,  would  not  be  deemed  insurmountable,  if  the  water  of  the 
Lake  could  at  all  times  be  obtained  in  the  purity  which  -it  pre- 
sents at  a distance  from  the  shore,  and  out  of  the  range  of 
admixture  with  the  waters  of  the  Genesee  River.  A supply  from 
this  source  would  be  subject,  like  that  distributed  to  Cleveland 
and  Chicago,  and  perhaps  in  somewhat  less  degree,  to  Buffalo 
and  Detroit, to  become  turbid  and  unpleasant  at  the  time  of 
every  storm  on  the  Lake,  and  if  taken  from  the  Lake  within  the 
distance  of  from  1 to  3 miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Genesee 
River,  it  would  at  times  be  deteriorated  in  quality,  by  the  pres- 
ence of  the  River  water,  which  may  always  be  traced  to'  a con- 
siderable distance  in  a direction  with  the  prevalent  wind. 

By  either  steam  power  to  be  located  at  the  Lake  shore,  or 
w^ater  power  at  the  Lower  Falls,  on  the  River,  a sufficient  quan- 
tity of  water  may  with  certainty  and  success,  be  elevated  to  the 
Distributing  Reservoir,  and  thence  conveyed  through  the  city  by 
gravity. 

From  Black  Creek,  in  the  town  of  Chili,  at  a point  about  5 
miles  south-west  of  the  Distributing  Reservoir — from  the  Iron- 
dequoit  Creek  in  Penfield,  at  a point  where  the  stream  in  its 
winding  course  approaches  within  4 h miles  of  the  Reservoir,  and 
from  the  Honeoye  outlet  at  West  Rush,  about  14  miles  from  the 
Reservoir,  the  requisite  quantity  of  water  could,  at  the  lowest 
stages  in  these  streams,  be  obtained  to  supply  the  city.  In  each 
case  pumping  machinery  would  be  required.  For  a supply  from 
Black  Creek,  the  most  economical  plan  would  be  to  conduct  the 
W'ater  from  the  Creek  to  the  Rapids  in  either  a pipe  or  a conduit  of 
brick,  and  from  that  point  to  elevate  the  supply  by  water  power  to 
the  Reservoir.  From  the  Irondequoit,  the  supply  could  be 
elevated  by  steam  or  water  power,  to  be  located  near  the  Creek, 
through  pipe  directly  to  the  Reservoir.  From  the  outlet  at  Rush, 


\ 


27 


an  open  channel  would  convey  the  water  to  the  Rapids,  and  thence 
by  water  power  it  could  be  elevated  to  the  Reservoir. 

Rear  the  village  of  Caledonia,  about  19  miles  from  Rochester, 
there  is  found  a copious  and  beautiful  spring,  discharging  from 
2 to  4,000,000  gallons  of  transparent  water  each  day.  This  water 
might  be  conveyed  in  pipe  to  this  city,  but  on  account  of  the 
distance  not  at  an  elevation  sufficient  for  its  distribution  by 
gravity. 

Both  the  quality  of  the  water  from  all  the  sources  just  named, 
and  the  cost  of  the  works  which  would  be  required  to  convey  the 
wTater  to  a suitable  Distributing  Reservoir,  together  with  the  con- 
tinual expense  of  pumping  are  considerations  which  render 
these  sources  of  supply  for  Rochester,  objectionable,  compared 
with  the  outlet  of  Hemlock  Lake,  at  Smithtown. 

In  the  -west  part  of  the  town  of  Mend  on  are  several  ponds  of 
considerable  size,  and  of  sufficient  elevation  for  their  waters  to 
be  conducted  in  pipe,  by  the  force  of  gravity  to  the  Distributing 
Reservoir — but  the  quantity  of  water  flowing  from  them  is  quite 
insufficient  to  supply  the  city,  being  only  about  500,000  gallons 
per  day. 

These  Ronds,  and  the  valley  in  which  they  are  situated,  are 
important  only  as  they  are  located  on  a feasable  route  for  pipe, 
or  other  conduit  from  Hemlock  Lake,  or  its  outlet  to  the  city,  and 
may  become  the  site  of  a large  Storing  Reservoir  for  the  waters 
of  this  Lake. 

In  a communication  to  the  late  Mayor  of  Rochester,  the  Hon. 
Elisha  Johnson  suggested  Little  Black  Creek,  or  the  extended 
Basin  embracing  the  head  waters  of  this  Creek,  together  with 
those  of  the  Oak  Orchard,  Sandy,  and  Black  Creeks,  as  a source 
from  which  Rochester  could  be  fully  supplied  with  water.  Such 
proportion  of  the  annual  rain  fall  upon  this  area  of  water  shed 


28 


(to  which  Mr.  J ohnson  assigns  an  extent  of  10  to  15  square  miles) 
as  could  be  collected  in  a Storing  Reservoir  would  be  much  more 
than  sufficient  to  supply  this  city  with  water  ; but  the  distance 
and  the  want  of  elevation  of  such  Reservoir,  above  the  district  to 
be  supplied,  precludes  the  hope  that  the  water  could  be  con- 
veyed to  the  city,  and  distributed  by  gravity. 

The  plan  already  proposed  for  the  introduction  and  elevation 
to  the  Distributing  Reservoir  of  the  waters  of  Black  Creek,  would 
be  equally  applicable  to  those  which  might  be  collected  on  Mr. 
Johnson’s  plan.  The  natural  flow  of  this  creek  at  low  water, 
as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  following  table  of  analysis,  is 
somewhat  objectionable  ; yet  those  to  be  collected  from  the  an- 
nual fall  of  rain  and  snow,  would  be  soft  and  pure.  Essentially 
upon  this  plan,  Albany  and  several  other  places,  have  been 
recently  supplied  with  water.  The  Collecting  and  Storing  Reser- 
voir, which  is  the  important  feature  of  this  plan,  should  be  con- 
structed of  such  extent  and  depth  as  to  avoid  the  unfavorable 
effects  upon  the  water  which  at  the  present  time  seem  to  be  justly 
attributed  at  some  of  the  most  important  Water  Works  in  the 
country,  to  vegetable  growth,  or  to  the  influence  of  high  tempera- 
ture upon  organic  and  perishable  deposits  in  the  bottom  of 
shallow  reservoirs. 

From  some  one  of  the  small  Lakes  situated  south  of  Rochester, 
in  the  counties  of  Ontario  and  Livingston,  this  city  may  obtain 
an  abundant  supply  of  pure  and  soft  water,  which  may  be  retained 
and  stored  in  natural  reservoirs,  and  from  thence  conveyed  to 
the  city,  and  distributed  to  its  population  by  its  own  gravity. 
Only  one  question  can  arise  as  to  the  practicability  or  the  expe- 
diency of  this  plan,  and  that  is  the  one  of  cost.  Since  these  Lakes 
possess  some  advantages  over  any  other  sources  for  a water 
supply  to  Rochester,  it  may  be  well  to  describe  them  fully. 


29 


They  occupy,  respectively,  extended  valleys,  nearly  parallel  with 
that  of  the  Genesee  River,  and  are  nearly  surrounded  by  ranges 
of  hills  of  very  considerable  elevation,  forming  around  each  lake 
an  extensive  water  shed.  Situated  geologioally  above  the  lime- 
stone formation,  and  being  fed  by  springs,  and  by  the  annual 
rain  fall  over  a territory  whose  soil  is  but  slightly,  if  at  all  im- 
pregnated with  lime,  they  constitute  the  only  source  from  which 
this  City  can  be  furnished  with  water  comparing  in  quality  wTith 
that  supplied  to  the  cities  of  Boston,  Brooklyn  and  Philadelphia. 

Honeoye  is  the  most  eastern  of  these  Lakes,  and  gives  name  to 
the  outlet  by  which  its  own  waters,  together  with  those  of  Cana- 
dice  and  Hemlock  Lakes  are  discharged  into  the  Genesee  River 
in  the  town  of  Rush. 

Canadice  Lake  is  the  next  in  order  proceeding  westward,  and 
is  the  smallest,  and  also  the  most  elevated  of  the  series. 

Hemlock  is  still  more  westerly,  the  largest,  and  the  most 
important  one  of  the  three,  having  generally  bold  shores  and 
considerable  depth  of  water.  The  surface  of  this  Lake  is  el  evated 
388  feet  above  the  Erie  Canal  in  Rochester,  and  that  of  its  outlet 
at  Smithtown,  14  miles  from  the  city,  has  an  elevation  of  204 
feet  above  the  Canal.  Conesus  is  the  largest  and  the  most  wes- 
terly of  these  lakes,  discharging  its  waters  into  the  river  near 
Avon  Springs,  about  21  miles  from  Rochester. 

Of  all  these  lakes,  although  their  waters  are  of  nearly  equal 
purity,  the  preference  should  doubtless  be  given  to  Hemlock, 
Lake,  or  to  this  lake  combined  with  one  or  both  of  those  situated 
east  of  it,  for  the  reason  that  the  amount  of  water  it  would  furnish 
at  the  lowest  stage  is  more  than  equal  to  that  of  any  other  lake, 
and  is  double  that  of  Conesus  Lake,  while  the  outlet  of  the  latter 
at  its  nearest  appoach  to  this  city,  which  is  at  Avon,  is  only  40 
feet  higher  than  the  Erie  Canal. 


30 


When  the  Erie  Canal  was  completed  from  Brockport,  to  the 
Genesee  River,  and  before  it  was  finished  through  the  mountain 
ridge  at  Lockport,  the  Canal  Commissioners  converted  these 
lakes  into  reservoirs,  to  supply  the  Canal  east  and  west  of  Roch- 
ester. Dams  were  erected  across  the  outlets  of  all  the  lakes  and 
their  surfaces  were  raised  about  2 feet,  forming  reservoirs  capable 
of  supplying  the  Canal  for  85  days.  From  real  or  apprehended 
injury  to  the  health  of  the  residents,  near  the  lakes,  which  was 
attributed  to  the  overflow  of  the  low^or  swampy  lands,  on  their 
borders  the  people  wefe  induced  to  remove  the  dams,  and  restore 
the  lakes  to  their  original  condition. 

Again,  in  1848  and  1849,  the  Canal  authorities  proposed  to 
form  reservoirs  on  these  lakes  to  aid  in  supplying  the  Erie  Canal 
east  of  Rochester,  and  surveys  were  made,  and  plans  adopted  for 
the  necessary  works  to  put  the  scheme  into  operation.  The  plan 
at  this  time  adopted,  was  to  draw  down  the  lakes  below  the 
usual  level,  by  means  of  deepened  channels.  By  this  plan  sunken 
and  overflowed  lands  would  be  reclaimed,  and  it  is  believed  that 
none  would  object  to  its  being  carried  out,  provided  the  flow  of 
water  from  the  Lakes  were  so  controlled  as  not  to  injure  the  Mills 
at  the  foot  of  the  Lakes.  All  mills  situated  below  these  would 
be  benefitted  by  the  arrangement. 

In  this  way  the  State  proposed  to  draw  from  the  4 Lakes,  9,100 
cubic  feet  of  water  per  minute,  for  120  days,  which  is  equal  to 
twice  the  present  annual  supply  to  the  City  of  Boston,  and  equal 
to  the  whole  quantity  which  the  Croton  works  have  for  many 
years  supplied  to  the  City  of  New  York  * The  estimated  cost  ot 
the  works  for  Hemlock  Lake  was  $16,000,  and  the  quantity  of 
water  to  be  drawn  by  the  plan  from  this  Lake,  was  equal  to 
6,000,000  gallons  per  day,  for  one  year. 

From  either  Honeoye  or  Conesus  Lake,  an  adequate  supply  of 


*See  Note  .B. 


31 


water  could  be  obtained,  but  Hemlock  Lake  is  to  be  preferred 
on  account  of  its  greater  elevation,  and  more  capacious  discharge 
of  water. 

During  6 or  8 months  in  each  year,  the  quantity  of  water 
| flowing  from  this  Lake  is  much  beyond  the  wants  of  this  City. 
By  means  of  a dam  and  discharge  gate,  it  is  proposed  to  retain 
. a portion  of  the  surplus  waters  of  the  winter  and  spring  in  the 
Lake,  until  the  dry  period  begins,  and  then  by  a draught  regulated 
to  meet  the  wants  of  Rochester,  added  to  the  amount  of  the  usual 

! 

flow  in  the  outlet,  to  supply  the  city,  without  injury  to  the 
hydraulic  privileges  situated  on  the  outlet. 

The  following  Table  contains  an  abstract  of  experimets  made 
on  the  Chenango  Canal,  to  determine  the  proportion  of  the  falling 
water  which  could  be  collected  into  Reservoirs. 


Eaton  Brook  Valley. 

Rain  Guage.  Falling  water  over 
Dates.  Inches.  an  area  of  6.000 

ecres.— Cubic  Ft. 

June,  1835,  to  June,  1836,  34.52  852,091,680 


Ain’t  of  water  pas- 
sing sluice  from 
same  source. — 
Cubic  Feet. 


641,199,456 


Madison  Brook  Valley. 

June,  1835,  to  June,  1836,  35.68  777,110,400  363,483,072 


These  experiments  show  that  from  46  to  75  per  cent,  of  the 
water  falling  annually  upon  any  extent  of  water  shed,  may  be 
collected  into  a Reservoir,  or  into  a lake  situated  in  the  valley 
surrounded  by  a corresponding  area  of  water  shed.  Similar 
experiments  have  been  made  in  other  parts  of  this  State,  at  Bos- 
ton, and  in  England,  with  results  varying  according  to  the  locality, 
but  all  very  favorable. 

“The  area  of  the  drainage  basin  of  Lake  Cochituate,  is  given  as 
11,400  acres,  and  during  the  past  9 years  the  average  rain  fall 
upon  this  area  has  been  48  inches  per  annum,  while  the  quantity 
of  water  yielded  by  the  Lake,  has,  during  the  same  time  been 
nearly  53  per  cent,  of  the  rain  fall.” 


32 

In  the  Reports  of  the  Regents  of  the  University,  the  average 
annual  rain  fall  for  the  whole  State,  taking  a mean  of  4 years,  is 
35  £ inches  : 40  per  cent  of  this  depth  over  an  area  of  27,554 
acres,  which  is  the  area  of  the  rain  shed  of  Hemlock  Lake,  will 
give  an  amount  sufficient  to  furnish  a daily  discharge  from  this 
Lake  of  28,000,000  gallons  for  the  whole  year. 

The  outlet  of  Canadice  unites  with  that  of  Hemlock  Lake  very 
near  the  foot  of  the  latter,  and  might,  at  a small  cost,  be  extended 
to  the  Lake  itself,  and  thus  considerably  increase  the  volume  of 
water  flowing  from  it. 

The  following  table  will  show  the  character  of  these  Lakes  and 
their  capacity  to  furnish  water  for  this  city. 

Table  showing  the  Extent  and  Capacity  of  the  Lakes,  thev,  Depth , 
Drainage  and  other  Characteristics . 


Honeoye.  j 

Canadice . 1 

Hemlock. 

BConesus. 

Length  miles, 

41-5 

3 1-10| 

6 7-10 

7 4-5 

Width  “ 

5. 

s 

i 

o 1 

6-10 

Depth — feet 

10  to  25 

50-80! 

45-80 

35-70 

Area — acres 

1727 

648 

1828 

3,330 

Drainage,  “ 

36,100 

8,883 

27,554 

39,980 

Swamp  at  head  of  Lake. 

Acres  

715 

45 

100 

0 

Distance  from  Rochester, 

28 

28 

26 

29 

Minimum  discharge  in 

cubic  feet  per  minute, 

300 

200 

300 

150 

Same  in  gallons  per  day, 

3,240,000 

2,160,000 

3,240,000 

1,620,000 

No.  of  gallons  in  1 foot 

. 

depth  at  surface 

560,290,500 

1178,378,200 

j 505,731,600 

1,078,926,750 

Equal  to  gall’s  pr.  day,  1 

1,535,042 

: 488,707 

1,385,566 

2,945,963 

Add  minimum  flow...  j 

3,250,000 

2,160,000 

3,240,000 

1,620,000 

Total  daily  discharge  of 

each  Lake, 

1 4,775,042 

2,648,707 

4,625,566 

4,575,963 

In  the  above  table,  the  quantity  of  water  which  may  be  fur- 
nished from  Hemlock  Lake,  by  making  a draught  upon  the  same, 
as  upon  a reservoir  one  foot  deep,  is  shown  to  be  for  the  whole 

year,  as  stated  in  gallons  per  day, 1,385,566 

Do.  of  Canadice  Lake,  1 h feet  deep,  - - - - 733,060 


This  for  4 months  only,  would  be, 


2,118,626 
- 6,355,878 


33 


Should  Hemlock  Lake  be  drawn  down  2 feet,  and  Canadice,  3 
feet,  the  quantity  would  be  4,237,252  gallons  per  day,  for  the 
year,  and  12,711,756  gallons  for  4 months. 

For  the  remaining  part  of  the  year,  the  natural  discharge  of 
these  two  lakes  would  be  ample  both  for  the  wants  of  Rochester, 
and  for  the  mills  situated  upon  the  outlet. 

The  citizens  of  Rochester  need  not  therefore  entertain  any  fear 
should  one  or  more  of  these  lakes  be  adopted  as  the  principal 

Reservoir  for  the  city,  that  there  will  be  any  deficiency  in  the 
supply. 

Although  the  surface  of  Hemlock  Lake  is  so  much  elevated 
above  Rochester,  this  beautiful  sheet  of  water  lies  in  a deep  val- 
ley or  depression  between  the  hills,  whose  slopes  generally  rise 
either  directly  frpm  the  water’s  edge,  or  from  a narrow  beach 
without  intervening  flats  or  swamps,  except  at  the  head  of  the 
Lake.  Canadice  is  quite  similar  to  Hemlock  Lake,  both  in 
appearance,  and  in  the  quality  of  the  water. 

For  the  first  5 miles,  the  outlet  of  Hemlock  Lake  passes  through 
a narrow  and  somewhat  winding  valley,  the  water  channel  being 
still  more  circuitous,  and  descending  about  104  feet  in  the  dis- 
tance of  5 3-5  miles,  to  the  Honeye  Flats,  where  the  junction  is 
made  with  the  outlet  of  Honeoye  Lake.  From  this  point  to  the 
village  -called  Smithtown,  situated  near  the  north-west  corner  of 
the  town  of  Bloomfield,  the  descent  in  the  outlet  is  moderate, 
but  its  course  is  very  circuitous,  often  changing  from  side  to  side 
of  a valley,  varying  in  width  from  one-tenth  to  one-half  of  a mile. 
Should  the  water  of  these  Lakes  be  taken  to  supply  Rochester, 
whatever  mode  may  be  adopted  to  convey  it  to  this  point,  the 
general  course  of  the  outlet  can  not  be  departed  from  for  any 
considerable  portion  of  the  distance,  which  is  about  14  miles. 

From  Smithtowm  either  of  three  routes  may  be  followed, — the 
first  proceeds  westerly  to  a point  about  three-fourths  of  a mile 


34 


west  of  the  village  at  Honeoye  Falls,  and  thence  in  a course 
quite  direct,  to  the  site  of  the  Distributing  Keservoir.  The  course 
of  the  second  route  is  northerly,  through  the  valley  in  which  the 
Mendon  Ponds  are  situated,  and  thence  as  directly  as  the  inter- 
vening surface  will  permit,  to  the  Keservoir.  The  third  route  is 
very  direct  to  the  Keservoir,  and  intermediate  between  the  others, 
passing  near  and  just  east  of  Honeoye  Falls,  and  of  the  village 
of  East  Henrietta.  Of  these  routes,  the  last  is  the  shortest  one, 
and  is  preferable  to  the  others,  unless  the  plan  of  a large  Storing 
Keservoir  should  be  adopted. 

Much  of  the  water  power  formed  along  this  outlet  by  the  des- 
cent of  388  feet,  in  its  course  to  the  Genesee  Kiver,  is  occupied 
by  valuable  flouring  mills  and  other  hydraulic  machinery,  to 
which  the  use  of  the  water  of  a stream,  which  is  sometimes 
reduced  below  what  is  required  to  propel  two  or  three  runs  of 
stone,  is  very  important.  Such  mills  and  machinery  are  found 
at  Hemlock  Lake  Village,  at  Frost’s  Hollow,  at  Factory  Hollow, 
Smithtown,  Honeoye  Falls,  Sibley ville,  and  at  East  and  West 
Kush.  This  property  has  greatly  declined  in  value  within  a few 
• years,  but  is  still  of  such  importance  that  it  would  be  inexpedient 
to  divert  the  water  of  the  Lakes,  to  the  injury  of  the  Mills. 

All  the  hydraulic  power  on  this  outlet  may  be  benefited,  or 
at  least  left  uninjured  by  forming  Keservoirs  either  on  the  outlet, 
or  on  the  Lake  itself,  of  an  extent  sufficient  to  retain  from  the 
surplus  water  of  the  winter  and  spring,  an  ample  store  to  supply 
the  city  during  the  period  of  low  water.  Several  sites  were 
observed  during  the  survey,  of  a favorable  character  for  the 
economical  construction  of  such  a work.  In  the  Mendon  Ponds 
a Keservoir  of  100  to  150  acres  in  extent  could  be  formed,  and 
also  near,  and  either  east  or  west  of  Honeoye  Falls,  favorable 
ground  for  such  a Keservoir  occurs  ; but  the  most  natural  and 


35 


favorable  site  is  found  about  5 miles  below  the  Lake,  where  an  old 
meadow  of  45  acres  in  extent  is  embraced  within  an  ancient  cir- 
cuit of  the  outlet,  surrounded  by  clayey  banks,  25  feet  high, 
except  on  the  narrow  neck  across  which  a new  channel  has  been 
cut,  diverting  the  stream  from  its  former  course.  But  the  cheap- 
est and  best  plan  for  a Storing  Reservoir  is  to  form  it,  as  has 
been  already  intimated,  upon  the  Lake  itself. 

From  nearly  all  the  sources  which  have  been  described,  sam- 
ples of  water  have  been  obtained,  and  the  amount  of  solid  matter 
per  gallon  in  each  specimen  ascertained  by  evaporating  the 
water  and  weighing  the  dry  residuum.  The  same  test  has  been 
applied  to  the  water  of  various  wells  in  the  city,  and  also  from 
some  of  the  most  approved  filters.  The  results  are  stated  in  the 
following  table. 


1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 


9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 
19. 


Source  or  Locality.  GraiSer°Sn“atter 

Lake  Ontario,  mouth  of  Genesee,  w.  of  piers,  - - - 4.16 
Do.  “ in  front  of  piers,  h mile  out  in  j , A AA 

the  Lake, f 

Do.  do.  north-east  of  piers  and  beyond  the  ) ^ 

stream  discharged  from  Genesee  river,  j 

Genesee  River  at  Rapids, 11.21 

Do.  “ at  high  water,  April,  1860,  - - - 6.40 

Do.  “ at  low  water,  June,  1860,  - - - - 9.60 

Do.  “ at  high  water,  August,  1860,  - - - - 7.46 

Do.  “ at  a higher  stage  of  water  sub-  ) 

sequent  to  the  above,  - > 5.60 

August,  I860,  - - - - j 

Do.  “ high  water  subsiding, 4.53 

Irondequoit  Creek,  Penfield, 24.68 

Black  Creek,  Chili,  72.80 

Little  Black  Creek,  Chili, 9.40 

Tonawonda  Creek,  Batavia, 12.57 

Caledonia  Spring, 44.80 

Mendon  Ponds, 8.00 

Honeoye  outlet,  West  Rush, 6.13 

Do.  do.  Smithtown,  (1853,)  taken  at ) 
a moderate  rise  of  water,  f 

Do.  do.  at  low  water, 2.40 

Honeoye  Lake,  - - - 4.00 


36 


20.  Hemlock  Lake,  - - - 1.33 

21.  Erie  Canal  at  Rochester,  July,  1860, 8.00 

22. '  Acid  spring,  £ mile  west  of  Rochester,  - - - - 19.20 

23.  Well,  North  Eitzhugh  Street, 26.00 

24.  Do.  South  “ “ 16.74 

25.  Do.  North  Washington  Street,  -------  34.11 

26.  Do.  Third  Ward  Tavern,  Cornhill, 41.00 

27.  Do.  East  Avenue,  near  Gibbs  Street, 32.16 

28.  Do.  South  Avenue, - 20.54 

29.  Average  of  Wells  in  Rochester,  - - - - - -28.33 

30-  Cistern  Water,  soon  after  rain,  - - 6.40 

31.  Rain  water  taken  in  an  open  vessel,  -----  1.00 

32.  Filtered  rain  water,  - - - - - 14.10 

33.  “ “ “ second  sample, 6.40 

34.  Rain  water  from  a cistern,  - - - 2.16 

35.  Do.  “ from  same  cistern  filtered, 4.33 

36.  Filtered  rain  water,  - - - - 1.92 

37.  Do.  “ “ 8.97 

38.  Black  Creek,  second  sample, 74.00 


Storing  and  Subsiding  Reservoirs. 

In  either  of  the  plans  which  propose  to  elevate  water  to  the 
Distributing  Reservoir  by  a stationary  power  at  the  Rapids,  an 
extensive  Storing  and  Subsiding  Reservoir  is  an  essential  feature. 
If  taken  during  the  time  of  low  water,  both  the  water  of  the  Gene- 
see River  and  of  Little  Black  Creek  are  objectionable.  But 
should  the  water  of  the  River  be  taken  at  the  time  of  a rise,  or  if 
taken  from  a retiring  flood  tide,  it  is  better  than  that  of  the  Cro- 
ton or  Schuylkill ; moreover,  water  collected  essentially  on  the 
plan  proposed  by  Mr.  Johnson  from  the  water  shed  of  Little 
Black  and  other  creeks,  would,  without  doubt,  be  found  to  be 
equally  pure.  For  the  River  plan,  subsiding  and  filtering  would 
be  requisite,  and  for  both  plans  an  extent  of  reservoir  sufficient 
to  supply  the  city  for  100  days  would  be  required. 

It  is  admitted  that  the  history  of  such  reservoirs  has  been  for 
the  last  few  years  rather  unfavorable  to  such  a project,  but  it  is 
believed  that  the  difficulties  encountered  at  Boston,  New  York, 
Albany,  New  Britain  and  Cincinnati,  are  capable  of  satisfactory 


37 


explanation,  and  can  be  remedied."  It  is  shown  by  the  reports 
of  these  various  Water  Boards  and  Companies,  that  in  every 
instance  where  complaint  has  been  made  of  the  quality  of  the 
water  drawn  from  such  Reservoirs,  that  the  effect  may  be  traced 
to  the  presence  of  perishable  matter  in  the  bottom  of  Reservoirs 
or  Ponds,  or  to  the  production  in  shallow  water  and  sunken  mea- 
dows, of  minute  vegetable  organisms,  and  to  the  fermentation  of 
living,  vegetable  products  recently  immersed  in  water.  From 
the  opinions  of  Professors  Horsford,  Silliman,  Torry,  Chilton  and 
Craselli,  these  effects  are  not  considered  to  be  lasting,  or  to  im- 
impart  any  unwholesome  quality  to  the  w~ater,  and  it  is  to  be  in- 
ferred from  their  reports,  that  these  unpleasant  effects  would  be 
avoided  by  forming  reservoirs  of  greater  depth  and  with  their 
inner  surfaces  wholly  free  from  vegetable  deposits  and  perishable 
matter. 

Extensive  storage  of  water  is  an  important  element  in  the 
means  of  supplying  some  of  our  largest  cities.  The  daily  supply 
of  Yew  York  is  greater  than  the  minimum  flowT  of  the  Croton, 
and  will  soon  be  greater  than  the  medium  flow,  and  the  annual 
consumption  of  Boston  is  steadily  approximating  to  the  total 
capacity  of  its  Lake  and  Reservoirs. 


The  daily  supply,  the  storage,  and  the  ratio  of  the  storage  and 
supply  of  some  of  the  leading  systems,  are  given  in  the  following 

table. 


LOCALITIES. 

Daily  Supply. 

1 Capacity  of  Reservoir 

jNumber  of  dajrs 
| supply 

Philadelphia, 

19,638,442 

66,000,000 

3& 

New  York,  - - - - 

30,000,000 

770,000,000 

2.6 

Boston,  - - - - 

15,000,000 

106,000,000 

7 

Do.  with  the  Lake, 

15,000,000 

798,000,000 

53* 

Brooklyn,  - - - - 

10,000,000 

240,000,000 

24 

Jersey  City,  - - - 

2,000,000 

55,334,000 

27 

Cincinnati,  - - - - 

4,618,587 

5,000,000  | 

i+  ! 

Albany,  - - - - 

2,500,000 

230,000,000  ! 

92 

Hartford,  - - - - 

785,000 

8,000,000 

10 

Bridgeport,  - - - 

400,000 

200,000,000 

365.+ 

Hew  Britain,  - - - 

360,000 

400,000,000  [ 

365*+ 

38 


Conductors  of  Water. 

Aqueducts  of  masonry  were  the  earliest  artificial  conductors  of 
water  for  the  supply  of  towns  and  cities.  These  were  often  con- 
structed at  great  expense,  forming  a channel  of  a uniform 
declivity,  for  a considerable  volume  of  water  over  intervening 
elevations  and  valleys.  In  crossing  valleys,  the  earliest  mode 
was  to  support  the  high  structures  upon  arches.  At  a later  period 
pipes  of  lead,  in  the  form  of  an  inverted  syphon,  were  used  to 
conduct  the  wTater  across  the  valley,  from  the  end  of  the  aque 
duct  on  the  one  side,  to  the  continuation  of  it  on  the  other.  Pipes 
of  lead,  and  of  earthen  or  stone  ware,  were  used  to  convey  and 
distribute  the  water  from  the  aqueduct,  and  at  a later  period 
pipes  of  wood  were  extensively  used  for  the  same  purpose,  both 
in  Europe  and  in  this  country.  Cast  iron  was  substituted  for  j 
wood  and  laid  in  London,  in  1810,  and  in  Philadelphia  in  1820.  ! 
Since  that  time  cast  iron  for  street  mains  of  all  sizes  has  come 
into  very  general  use.  Street  pipe  for  the  conveyance  of  water  i 
has  been  made  of  stone,  and  recently  of  glass,  and  of  hydraulic 
cement. 

Pipes  of  wood  are  still  in  use  in  Springfield,  Ct.,  and  in  Detroit.  | 
At  the  latter  place,  about  9,000  feet  of  this  kind  was  laid  during 
the  last  season. 

Within  the  last  12  or  15  years,  a water  pipe  formed  of  sheet 
iron  and  hydraulic  cement,  has  come  into  use.  During  the  pre- 
sent season,  the  manufacture  ot  a water  pipo  has  been  commenced, 
which  is  formed  of  a hollow  cylinder  of  wood  strengthened  by 
bands  of  iron,  and  protected  by  a coating  of  hydraulic  cement. 
Only  three  kinds  of  pipe  will  be  introduced  into  the  following 
estimates,  and  since  each  kind  has  been  claimed  by  its  advocates 
or  opponents  to  have  characteristic  merits  or  defects,  a brief 
description  of  them  may  be  desirable.  It  is  obvious  that  pipe 
may  be  made  of  cast  iron,  of  any  desired  strength,  and  it  may 


39 


be  made  more  readily  perhaps,  than  other  materials,  to  assume 
any  required  form  and  dimensions  ; but  since  this  material  has 
no  certain  and  uniform  modulus  of  strength,  it  becomes  necessary 
to  give  to  the  castings  an  extra  thickness,  to  compensate  for  the 
deficiency. 

After  all  the  precautions  of  remelting  the  iron,  and  casting  the 
segments  of  pipe  in  vertical  moulds,  this  pipe  is  often  found  to 
be  defective,  and  should  never  be  laid  without  being  subjected 
to  the  test  of  a pressure  of  300  pounds  to  the  square  inch,  which 
will  generally  disclose  its  defects.  Although  it  can  be  made  of 
such  thickness  as  to  resist  any  uniform  pressure,  yet  when  sub- 
i jected  to  irregular  pressure,  or  rapid  concussion,  it  often  bursts. 
But  the  most  serious  objection,  perhaps,  to  cast  iron  w^ater  pipe 
is  the  “tendency  to  the  absorption  of  the  iron,  and  the  gradual 
formation  of  concretions  or  tubercles  in  the  interior  of  the  pipes,  by 
which  their  capacity  is  diminished,  and  the  fiow  of  water  impeded. 

E.  S.  Chesbrough,  Esq.,  the  City  Engineer  of  Boston,  in  his 

report  to  the  Cochituate  Water  Board,  in  1852,  remarks,  that — 

“The  rapidity  with  which  the  interior  surfaces  of  some  of  the 
pipes  have  become  covered  with  tubercles  or  rust,  has  excited  a 
great  deal  of  interest,  and  has  been  the  subject  of  much  observa- 
tion ; but  the  cause  of  such  a wide  difference  in  the  growth  of 
these  tubercles  in  different  pipes,  and  in  different  places,  does 
not  appear  to  be  clearly  understood.  All  the  large  pipes  that 
have  been  opened,  have  been  partially  or  entirely  covered  on 
their  inner  surfaces,  some  with  detached  tubercles,  varying  from 
a half  to  two  and  a half  inches  base,  with  a depth  or  thickness  in 
the  middle,  of  from  one  quarter  to  three  quarters  of  an  inch  ; and 
some  entirely,  to  an  average  depth  of  half  an  inch,  with  a rough 
coating,  as  if  the  bases  of  the  tubercles  had  crowded  together. 
The  smaller  pipes  all  exhibit  some  action  of  this  kind,  but  gener- 
ally to  a less  extent,  as  regards  thickness,  than  the  larger  ones. 


40 


In  one  case,  however,  a four-inch  pipe  was  found  covered  to  a 
thickness  of  about  one  inch.  This  was  in  that  part  of  Myrtle 
street,  which  was  formerly  called  Zone  street,  where  the  entrance 

to  a service  pipe  was  entirely  stopped  by  rust.  Wrought-iron 
pipes  fill  much  more  rapidly  than  cast-iron  ones  ; and  in  several 

instances,  service  pipes  made  of  that  metal  have,  during  the  last 
year,  become  so  obstructed  as  to  be  almost  or  quite  useless. 

“ The  Jamaica  Aqueduct  pipe,  which  was  originally  10  inches 
in  diameter,  has  been,  in  some  cases,  reduced  to  8,  by  tubercles, 
which  however,  are  different  in  form  from  those  in  the  Cochitu- 
ate  pipes,  They  appear  to  lap  over  each  other  in  the  direction 
of  the  current ; this  is  very  strikingly  the  case  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  pipe,  as  if  their  form  was  owing  in  some  measure  to 
the  mechanical  action  of  the  current. 

The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  the  annual  report  of  the 
“Cochituate  Water  Board  to  the  City  of  Boston,”  for  1852, 
to  show  the  growing  importance  of  this  subject : 

“ Among  the  variety  of  topics  noticed  in  the  report  of  the 
Engineer,  which  are  well  deserving  the  consideration  of  the  City 
Council,  there  is  one,  in  particular,  to  which  we  wTould  now  call 
its  attention,  which  we  consider  to  be  eminently  so.  W e allude 
to  the  effects  which  are  found  to  be  produced  on  the  inner  sur- 
face of  all  the  iron  mains  and  pipes,  by  the  action  of  the  water. 
The  attention  of  the  Water  Board  was  attracted  to  the  subject, 
soon  after  its  appointment ; for  although  the  pipes  had  then  been 
in  use  less  than  three  years,  those  effects  are  already  quite  obvi- 
ous and  striking,  and  in  fact  had  been  noticed  some  time  previous. 
They  have  since  then  been  carefully  watched,  and  the  valuable 
assistance  of  Professor  Horsford  has  been  engaged  for  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  as  far  as  is  practicable,  their  origin,  their 
probable  progress  for  the  future,  and  the  means  which  might  be 
relied  upon,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing,  arresting,  or  retarding 


41 


them,  and  thus  obviating  the  consequences  which  were  likely  to 
be  the  result.  The  two  communications  of  Professor  Horsford 
on  the  subject,  which  we  beg  leave  to  annex  to  this  report,  have 
described  with  so  much  minuteness  and  clearness  the  present 
appearance  and  state  of  the  interior  of  the  mains  and  pipes,  as 
does  also  the  report  of  the  City  Engineer,  that  it  is  rendered 
entirely  unnecessary  for  the  Board  to  repeat  the  description,  and 
they  would  therefore  refer  the  Council  to  these  communications. 
It  is  presumed,  also,  that  the  members  of  the  Council  are  gener- 
ally acquainted  with  those  facts. 

“ The  effects  to  which  we  now  allude,  are  the  peculiar  changes 
which  have  been  produced  on  the  iron  itself ; and  they  consist  in: 

“ 1.  The  absorption  of  the  iron  in  certain  places,  and  the  for- 
mation in  its  stead  of  a substance  resembling  plumbago. 

“ 2.  The  gradual  development  of  local  accretions  or  tubercles, 
in  the  interior  of  the  pipes,  by  which  the  flow  of  water  is  impeded, 
and  their  capacity  diminished,  so  that  the  object  for  which  they 
were  laid  becomes  imperfectly  accomplished,  and  an  apprehen- 
sion is  excited  that  they  may  be  so  far  closed  up  as  to  be  useless 
hereafter. 

The  Water  Board  have  heretofore  thought  that  it  would  be  in- 
teresting and  useful  to  lay  before  the  Council  somewhat  in  detail, 
not  only  the  present  condition  of  the  pipes ' belonging  to  the 
Water  Works  of  this  city,  in  relation  to  the  subject,  but  also  the 
result  of  such  inquiries  as  they  have  been  able  to  make  into  the 
extent  of  the  same  evils  in  other  places,  and  the  efforts  which 
have  been  made  to  ascertain  their  nature  and  origin,  and  to  pro- 
vide a remedy  for  them,  and  the  success  of  those  efforts. 

“ The  first  notice  taken  of  this  subject  which  we  have  seen, 

appears  in  the  transactions  of  the  French  Academy  of  Sciences, 

for  the  year  1836.  ( Comptes  Rendus , v.  3,y?.  131.)  It  is  a note 

by  Mr.  Vicat  on  the  subject  of  a coating  to  prevent  the  develop - 
6 


42 


by  Mr.  Vicat  on  the  subject  of  a coating  to  prevent  the  develop- 
ment of  tuberculous  accretions  in  cast-iron  pipes  for  conducting 
water.  He  states  that  a report  printed  at  Grenoble,  November 
22,  1833,  by  order  of  the  Municipal  Council,  called  the  attention 
of  the  public  to  the  rapid,  as  well  as  unforeseen,  filling  up  of  the 
large  cast-iron  main,  of  the  Chateau  a V Ea%cl  in  that  town.  The 
formation  of  numerous  tubercles  of  hydroxide  of  iron,  began  to 
show  itself  shortly  after  the  water  was  let  on,  by  a perceptible 
though  slight  diminution  of  the  discharge.  The  development  of 
the  accretions,  however,  as  was  proved  by  many  accurate  meas- 
urements, soon  increased  so  much,  that  the  supply  of  the  Chateau , 
which  had  been  in  1826  about  1,400  litres  (about  370  wine  gal- 
lons) a minute,  was  gradually  reduced  in  1833,  to  720  litres 
(about  190  wine  gallons,)  showing  a loss  of  nearly  one-half.” 

44  In  1837  the  subject  attracted  the  attention  of  the  British 
Association  oj  Science  ; and  under  its  auspices  a very  elaborate 
investigation  of  the  action  of  air  and  water,  whether  fresh  or  salt, 
clear  or  foul,  and  at  various  temperatures,  upon  cast  iron,  wrought 
iron,  and  steel,  was  made  by  Mr.  Bobert  Mallet.  Mr.  Mallet 
commenced  in  1838,  and  continued  until  the  year  1843,  a very 
complete  course  of  experiments  on  the  subject.” 

44  The  Board  can  merely  state  some  of  the  general  laws,  regu- 
lating the  action  of  fresh  water  on  iron  pipes,  which  Mr.  Mallet 
considers  as  previously  known,  or  established  or  confirmed  by 
his  experiments. 

He  found  that  any  part  of  iron , cast  or  wrought , corrodes  when 
exposed  to  the  action  of  water  holding  air  in  combination , in  one 
or  other  or  some  combination  of  the  following  forms,  viz  : 1. 

Uniformly , or  when  the  whole  surface  of  the  iron  is  covered 
uniformly  with  a coat  of  rust,  requiring  to  be  i craped  off,  and 
leaving  a smooth  red  surface  after  it.  2.  Uniformly  with  plum - 


43 


. 

bago,  where  the  surface,  as  before  uniformly  corroded,  is  found 
| in  some  places  covered  with  plumbagenous  matter,  leaving  a 
'piebald  surface  of  red  and  black  after  it.  3.  Locally , or  only 
rusted  in  some  places,  and  free  from  rust  in  others.  Locally 
'pitted,  where  the  surface  is  left  as  in  the  last  case,  but  the  metal 
is  found  unequally  removed  to  a greater  or  less  depth.  5.  Tu- 
bercular, when  the  whole  of  the  rust  which  has  taken  place  at 
every  point  of  the  specimen,  has  been  transferred  to  one  or  more 
particular  points  of  its  surface,  and  has  there  formed  large  pro- 
jecting tubercles,  leaving  the  rest  bare.” 

“The  size,  and  perhaps  the  form,  of  iron  casting,  forms  one 
element  in  the  rate  of  its  corrosion  in  water.  Because  the  thin- 
ner castings  having  cooled  much  faster  and  more  irregularly  than 
the  thicker,  are  much  less  homogenous,  and  contain  veins  and 
patches  harder  than  the  rest  of  their  substance  : hence  the  form- 
ation of  voltaic  couples  and  accelerated  corrosion. 

“lie  estimates  that  from  three-tenths  to  four-tenths  of  an  inch 
in  depth,  of  cast  iron  one  inch  thiclc,  and  about  six-tenths  of  an 
inch  of  wrought  iron,  will  be  destroyed  in  a century,  in  clear 
water! 

“The  subsequent  experiments  throw  no  new  light  on  the  cause 
and  nature  of  this  singular  phenomenon.  They  show,  however, 
that  the  same  effect  is  produced  by  the  action  of  air  and  fresh 
water  ; and  this  is  too  well  corroborated  by  our  own  experience.” 

“The  important  problem  of  preventing  the  corrosive  action  of 
the  water,  by  coating  the  interior  surface  of  the  pipe,  was  a prin- 
cipal object  of  Mr.  Mallet’s  experiments.” 

“The  various  results  of  Mr.  Mallet’s  experiments  are  exhibited 
in  a full  series  of  tables,  which  present  to  the  engineer,  as  he 
thinks,  ‘sufficient  data  to  enable  him  to  predict  the  term  of  dura- 
bility, and  allow  for  the  loss  by  corrosion  of  iron  in  all  condi- 
tions, when  entering  into  his  structures.’ 


44: 


The  last  information  to  which  we  shall  refer  on  this  subject,  is 
contained  in  a paper  on  Tubercles  in  Iron  Pipes,  by  M.  Gaudin, 
Engineer  of  Bridges  and  Roads,  published  in  the  Annales  des 
Ponts  et  Chaussees,  for  November  and  December,  1851.  He 
states  that  the  iron  conduit  at  Cherbourg,  constructed  between 
the  years  1836  and  1838,  of  white  casting,  nearly  lh  miles  long, 
had  become  everywhere  coated  with  tubercles,  which  in  some 
places  had  an  elevation  of  from  1,575  to  1,968  inches,  so  that 
the  orifice  of  the  pipe,  which  was  when  laid,  about  7 inches  in 
diameter,  had  been  reduced  to  less  than  one-third  its  original 
section.  The  consequence  of  the  diminution  of  the  orifice,  joined 
to  the  enormous  loss  of  head  occasioned  by  the  additional  fric- 
tion, had  deprived  many  of  the  work-shops  at  the  end  of  the 
conduit  of  a supply,  prevented  the  simultaneous  playing  of  the 
fountains,  and  made  the  supply  of  the  grand  reservoir  impos- 
sible, or  very  feeble. 

“The  tubercles  were  very  broad  at  their  base,  and  very  strongly 
adhering  to  the  surface  of  the  pipe,  and  could  not  be  removed, 
except  by  heating  the  pipe  to  a red  heat,  or  by  a forcible  action 
of  an  instrument.  They  were  of  a greenish  brown  color,  and 
testaceous  structure,  and  on  exposure  to  the  air,  assumed  the 
color  of  yellow  ocher,  a sure  sign  of  the  oxydation  of  part  of  the 
iron  which  entered  into  their  composition.  Their  density  was 
almost  3,362.  A chemical  analysis  gave  the  following  results: 

“He  considered  it  certain,  that  the  iron  in  the  tubercles  was 
to  be  attributed,  exc]usively,  to  an  alteration  winch  had  taken 
place  in  the  pipes  themselves,  no  matter  what  the  casting  might 
be,  whether  white  or  gray. 

“In  reference  to  the  obtaining  some  remedy  for  the  evil,  he 
observes,  that  waters  the  most  pure  and  most  proper  for  the 
ordinary  necessities  of  life,  afford  no  exemption,  since  it  appears 
invariable,  that  the  tubercles  are  in  an  especial  manner  develop- 


45 


ed  by  the  presence  of  very  small  quantities  of  sea  salt,  which 
almost  all  waters  contain.  And  that  chemists  and  engineers 
have  therefore  recommended  the  forcing  of  linseed  oil  by  great 
pressure  into  the  metal,  and  also  coatings  of  mortars  and 
hydraulic  cements  and  bituminous  coverings.” 

“Undoubtedly  the  most  important  change  which  takes  place 
on  the  inner  surface  of  the  pipes,  as  far  as  relates  to  any  imme- 
diate results,  is  the  production  of  the  accretions.  The  formation 
of  plumbago  or  something  like  it,  in  the  place  of  the  iron  which 
has  been  absorbed,  does  not,  indeed,  protect  the  metal  beneath 
it,  and  the  action  continues,  perhaps  even  with  a slightly  acceler- 
ated force  ; but,  according  to  the  French  and  English  authorities, 
its  progress  is  so  slow  that  many  years  must  elapse  before  any 
serious  consequences  from  it  alone,  would  be  likely  to  happen. 
It  is  probable  that  the  only  way  to  prevent  this  action,  will  be 
found  in  coating  the  surface  with  some  composition  which  will 
shield  it.” 

“But  with  regard  to  the  accretions,  their  growth  has  been  more 
rapid  and  important,  so  much  so  that  our  36  inch  and  30  inch 
mains  have  become  already,  in  consequence  of  the  actual  dimi- 
nution of  their  area,  and  also  of  the  additional  friction  which 
has  been  occasioned,  scarcely  superior  in  capacity,  to  those  of 
34  and  28  inches,  having  a clean  surface;  and  we  have  had  suf- 
ficient experience  on  the  subject  to  convince  us  of  the  impolicy 
of  making  use  of  wrought  iron  service  pipes  at  all,  or  of  cast- 
iron  ones  of  less  than  4 inches  in  diameter.” 

“Cambridge,  Jan.  14,  1852. 

“Thos.  Wetmore,  Esq. 

“President  of  the  Cochituate  Water  Board. 

“Dear  Sir, — In  reply  to  your  favor  of  the  5 th  instant,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  accretions  in  the  Cochituate  iron  mains,  I have  to 


46 


regret  that  my  investigations  thus  far  have  thrown  but  little  light 
upon  the  question  of  most  importance,  to  wit ; How  far  will 
these  accretions  extend  ? 

“A  brief  statement  of  the  present  condition  of  the  pipes  will 
show  the  bearing  of  this  inquiry. 

“At  the  two  points  near  Dover  street,  where  one  of  the  main 
iron  pipes  was  taken  up  for  repairs  in  the  last  autumn,  there 
were  found  upon  the  interior  surface  of  the  pipe,  nodules  vary- 
ing from  half  an  inch  to  three  inches  in  diameter,  at  the  base, 
and  having  a height  of  from  one  quarter  to  a little  more  than 
half  an  inch.  Some  of  them  were  of  a reddish,  others  of  a dirty 
yellow  color,  and  those  of  each  color  invariably  in  a group  by 
themselves.  They  presented  concentric  structure  within,  and 
rested  in  many  cases  upon  slightly  elevated  portions  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  pipe.  These  elevated  portions  were  co-extensive  with 
the  inferior  surface  of  the  nodules,  were  of  a dark  brown  color, 
and  crumbled  at  once  to  powder  upon  being  scratched  with  a 
knife. 

“Portions  of  the  surface  of  some  sections  of  pipe  were  quite 
free  from  accretions.  In  some  areas,  the  accretions  were  all 
small ; in  others  most  were  large.  There  seemed  to  be  no  ten- 
dency among  them  to  gather  upon  the  bottom  rather  than  upon 
the  top  and  sides.  * * * * * 

“The  suggestion  that  the  accretions  might  be  due  to  the  growth 
of  some  kind  of  vegetation  in  which  were  lodged  particles  of 
the  ochreous  matter  in  suspension,  in  small  quantity,,  in  the 
Cochituate  water,  and  which  gives  to  it  its  occasional  faint  wine 
color,  which  is  found  on  the  bottom  of  the  tunnel,  and  which 
accumulates  in  the  filters — was  not  sustained  by  microscopic 
examination.  * * * * * * 

“There  are  reasons  for  believing  the  slight  elevations  of  surface 
observed  immediately  beneath  the  accretions,  to  be  due  to 


47 


changes  in  the  texture  of  the  iron  arising  from  the  growth  of  the 
accretion,  and  to  an  original  irregularity  of  the  casting;  and 
further  for  believing  that  the  accretions  are  indebted  for  their 
iron  to  the  surface  upon  which  they  rest,  and  not  at  all,  or  but 
very  slightly,  to  the  water  which  flows  over  them. 

“I  have  wrought-iron  pipes  of  1 h inches  caliber,  which  are 
coated  with  accretions  interiorly,  and  which  in  12  months  have 
‘ been  eaten  through,  from  within  outward,  by  the  circulation  of 
: cold  Cochituate  water.  I have  others  of  the  same  diameter, 
which  in  3 months  have  been  6aten  through  by  the  circulation 
of  hot  Cochituate  water. 

“I  have  another  pipe,  1 inch  in  diameter,  which  in  12  months 
was  so  nearly  closed  by  accretions  throughout  its  entire  length, 
that  it  was  removed  because  it  ceased  to  serve  water.” 

“The  solicitude  lies  in  two  directions.  In  the  first  place,  the 
accretions  diminish  the  serving  capacity.  Taking  the  present 
average  thickness  of  the  incrustation  at  § of  an  inch,  the  serv- 
ing capacity  of  a pipe  36  inches  in  diameter  is  reduced  by  the 
amount  of  an  area  42  § square  inches,  which  is  equal  to  a cylin- 
drical pipe  7.3  inches  in  diameter.  If  we  conceive  the  accretion 
to  go  uniformly  forward  at  this  rate  of  141  square  inches  per 
annum,  it  would  become  a matter  of  immediate  grave  considera- 
tion. In  the  second  place,  the  accretions  are  formed  at  the 
expense  of  the  iron  upon  which  they  rest.  With  their  increased 
thickness  will  come,  at  a remote  period,  diminished  strength  of 
the  iron. 

* * * * * 

“I  am,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

“E.  N.  HOKSFORD  ” 

The  effect  of  these  accretions  was  in  one  instance  to  diminish 


48 


the  discharge  of  the  pipe  2o  per  cent  A pipe  956  feet  long  was 
cleared  out  at  a cost  of  $138  50. 

These  effects  have  been  observed  in  Albany,  New  York  and 
Philadelphia  ; also  in  France  and  England.  In  Brooklyn,  where 
the  water  supplied  by  the  W ater  W orks  is  about  as  pure  as  that 
of  Cochituate  Lake,  these  results  are  so  much  deprecated  as  to 
induce  the  Water  Board  to  coat  the  pipe  with  a combination  of 
coal  tar  and  linseed  oil  put  on  at  a high  heat.  The  cost  is  $2  50 
per  ton.  The  water  of  Hemlock  Lake  being  of  about  the  same 
purity  as  that  of  Cochituate  Lake,  similar  effects  may  be  appre- 
hended, if  cast  iron  should  be  used  here. 

The  water  pipe  formed  of  sheet  iron  and  cement,  is  made  in 
the  following  manner.  Boiled  iron  of  the  guage  of  (No.  16  to  23,) 
as  the  proposed  pressure  may  require,  is  riveted  together  in 
lengths  of  about  eight  feet — it  is  lined  on  the  inside  with  hydrau- 
lic cement,  and  as  it  is  laid  in  the  pipe  trenches,  the  sections  are 
joined  together  by  means  of  a slieve  of  the  same  material  which 
overlaps  the  joints  of  the  pipe,  and  is  of  a larger  diameter  than 
the  pipe,  admitting  a lining  of  cement  between  the  pipe  and  the 
slieve  ; when  thus  laid  and  connected  in  the  trenches,  it  is  cov- 
ered on  the  outside  with  cement.  For  elbows  and  connections, 
the  parts  are  either  riveted  or  soldered  together,  and  all  service 
cocks  are  soldered  to  the  street  pipe.  This  kind  of  pipe  can  be 
made  of  any  requisite  thickness  and  strength,  and  is  claimed  to 
be  a lasting  and  good  conductor  of  water.  It  has  been  subjected 
to  a great  pressure,  and  when  faithfully  made  has  proved  to  be 
substantial.  It  is,  however,  very  liable  to  be  imperfect,  from 
want  of  skill  and  fidelity  in  the  construction.  If  laid  in  water, 
in  wet  trenches  in  frost,  or  if  subjected  to  concussion,  it  is  liable 
to  fail.  In  a system  of  Water  Works  formed  with  this  kind  of 
pipe  in  Connecticut,  many  of  the  joints  made  by  one  individual 


49 


were  faulty  and  leaked,  while  all  those  made  by  another,  were 
substantial.  It  has  been  made  to  stand  the  pressure  of  240  feet 
head  of  water,  and  it  has  failed  under  the  action  of  a pump, 
while  the  stream  forced  through  it  appeared  to  the  eye  to  be  per- 
fectly uniform.  Main  pipe  has  been  made  in  this  way,  of  16 
and  20  inches  diameter.  This  pipe  has  been  in  successful  opera- 
tion since  1836. 

In  constructing  the  water  pipe  formed  of  banded  wood  and 
cement,  an  attempt  is  made  to  combine  the  best  properties  of 
the  different  materials  used  in  such  a manner  that  each  is  to 
supply  the  deficiencies  of  the  other.  The  cylinder  which  maybe 
cut  from  different  kinds  of  wood,  forms  a cleanly  conductor  of 
water,  and  is  stiff  and  firm  against  any  impulse  or  stress  from 
without.  By  the  wrought  iron  bands,  it  is  obvious  that  any 
desired  strength  can  be  imparted  to  the  pipe.  The  object  of  the 
coating  of  hydraulic  cement  is  to  protect  the  other  two  materials 
from  the  effects  of  their  contact  alternately  with  air  and  water. 
The  cylinders  are  bored  by  machinery  which  will  cut  large 
diameters  with  the  same  facility  as  small  ones,  in  sections  of  8 
feet  in  length,  and  joined  so  as  to  form  a continued  pipe  by 
thimbles  inserted  into  grooves  cut  in  the  ends  of  the  sections. 
The  bands  are  of  rolled  iron  wound  tightly  from  one  end  spirally 
to  the  other  end,  and  strongly  fastened  at  each  end.  To  protect 
the  bands  from  rust,  they  are  coated  as  they  are  passed  around 
the  pipe,  wfith  heated  coal  tar. 

In  March  last,  some  experiments  were  made  at  the  foundry  of 
William  Kidd  & Co.,  of  this  city,  to  ascertain  the  strength  of 
pipe  of  this  kind  by  the  application  of  hydraulic  pressure  to  the 
internal  surface  of  the  pipe.  A piston  of  a diameter  equal  to 
one  square  inch  fitted  to  an  orifice  in  the  iron  pipe,  which  con- 
nected the  pump  with  the  pipe  to  be  tested,  and  a graduated 


50 


scale  beam  were  used  to  measure  the  pressure  per  square  inch. 
The  size  of  the  pipe  was  10  inches  interior,  and  16  inches  exte- 
rior diameter,  and  the  length  of  the  pieces  4 feet.  The  following 
table  gives  the  amount  of  pressure  applied,  and  the  heigh th  of 
a vertical  column  of  water  which  will  produce  an  equal  pressure. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  BANDS. 

PRESSURE  APPLIED. 

NO.  OF 
EXPERIMENT. 

WATER  PRESSCRE. 

WIDTH. 

THICKNESS. 

DIST.  APART. 

DBS  PER 
SQUARE  INCH. 

PRESSURE 

SUSTAINED. 

WOOD 

CHECKED.* 

Inches. 

Inches. 

Inches 

1 

1 

1-16 

4 

407 

940 

960 

2 

1 

1-8 

4 

400 

923 

925 

These  trials  were  witnessed  by  many  of  our  citizens. 

During  the  enlargement  of  the  Erie  Canal,  many  structures 
formed  of  hydraulic  masonry  were  removed  ; enclosed  in  the 
walls  of  these  works  and  in  their  foundations,  were  found  timber, 
plank  and  iron,  which  were  unchanged  in  color  or  structure 
from  the  time  they  were  placed  in  the  work,  a period  of  from 
20  to  25  years.  These  facts  suggested  originally,  the  combina- 
tion which  forms  the  sheet  iron  and  cement  pipe,  and  leads  to 
the  expectation  that  the  cement  will  also  protect  the  materials  of 
the  banded  wood  pipe. 

System  of  Distribution  for  Rochester. 

In  arranging  a system  of  distributing  pipe  for  this  city,  the 
following  considerations  will  have  a controlling  influence  : 

That  portion  of  the  city  which  is  the  most  distant  from  the 
Reservoir,  is  also  much  the  lowest ; a fact  which  will  aid  the 
supply  of  the  distant  portions,  and  even  permit  the  use  of  smaller 
mains  than  would  otherwise  be  required. 

The  population  of  the  city  extends  over  so  much  territory  as 
to  render  an  extensive  system  of  pipe  necessary  to  supply  even 
the  most  densely  settled  streets  ; yet  street  mains  will  serve  a 


* See  Note  A. 


51 


sparse  population,  of  somewhat  smaller  size  than  would  be  re- 
quired  for  a more  dense  one. 

The  fourth  and  eighth,  and  parts  of  the  third,  fifth,  sixth  and 
tenth  Wards,  are  so  much  higher  than  the  other  portions  of  the 
city,  as  to  render  separate  mains  from  the  Distributing  Reser- 
voir for  the  supply  of  the  high  and  the  low  districts  necessary. 
This  plan  has  been  found  indispensible  at  Albany  and  Quebec, 
and  will  be  expedient  here. 

Main  pipes  must  be  laid  across  the  Genesee  River  once,  and 
across  the  Canals  three  times  to  supply  the  whole  territory  re- 
quiring water. 

In  the  schedule  of  street  mains  upon  which  the  estimate  of  the 
system  of  distribution  is  based,  the  sizes  of  the  pipes  have  been 
adjusted  to  give  efficiency  to  the  whole  distribution,  with  such 
economy  as  is  imperatively  demanded  by  the  great  extent  of 
the  district  to  be  supplied  with  wrater.  Two  mains  of  12  inches 
diameter,  are  to  be  laid  in  South  Avenue  to  the  Erie  Canal,  and 
two  across  the  River  and  down  Plymouth  Avenue.  From  these 
mains,  pipes  of  various  diameters  are  to  extend  into  the  different 
streets,  to  be  connected  at  all  street  crossings. 

The  estimated  cost  of  Distributing  Pipe  for  the  city,  is  given 
among  the  other  estimates  of  cost. 

Estimates  of  Cost. 

General  Outline  of  the  different  Plans  proposed  for  supplying 
Rochester  with  Water  ; the  daily  amount  being  at  the  rate  of 
40  gallons  for  each  person  in  a population  of  50,000,  and  equal 
to  2,000,000  gallons. 

1st.  By  the  first  plan,  it  is  proposed  to  elevate  the  water  of 
Lake  Ontario,  by  Steam  Power,  located  at  the  Lake  Shore.  A 
supply  pipe,  of  wood,  to  extend  1,000  feet  into  the  Lake,  and  a 
pumping  main  of  cast  iron,  30  inches  in  diameter,  to  extend 


52 


thence  to  the  Distributing  Reservoir,  east  of  Mount  Hope  Cem- 
etery. 

By  a modification  of  this  plan,  the  water  of  the  Lake  is  to  be 
conducted  by  a 36  inch  main  to  a pump  well  at  the  lower  falls, 
and  thence  elevated  and  forced  to  the  Reservoir  by  a water 
pressure  engine. 

2d.  By  the  second  plan,  the  water  of  the  Genesee  River  is  to 
be  raised  by  water  or  steam  power  at  the  Rapids,  to  a storing 
and  subsiding  Reservoir,  south  of  Mount  Hope  ridge,  and  thence 
by  the  same  power  to  the  Distributing  Reservoir. 

3d.  By  the  third  plaii,  the  rain  fall  upon  the  sources  of  Little 
Black  Creek  is  to  be  collected  into  a Storing  Reservoir  in  the 
valley  towards  the  mouth  of  that  Creek,  and  conducted  thence  by 
a 20  inch  pipe  to  the  pumping  engine  at  the  Rapids,  and  from  that 
point  by  either  water  or  steam  power,  to  the  Distributing  Res- 
ervoir. 

4th.  By  the  fourth  plan,  the  water  of  the  Honeoye  Outlet  is 
to  be  taken  at  Smithtown,  and  conducted  by  a 20  inch  pipe  di- 
rectly to  the  Distributing  Reservoir.  Auxiliary  to  this  plan 
there  is  to  be  either  a large  Storing  reservoir  on  the  route  of  the 
main  pipe,  or  the  Lake  itself  is  to  be  made  such  Reservoir. 

5th.  By  the  fifth  plan,  the  water  of  Hemlock  Lake  is  to  be 
conveyed  in  a 16  inch  pipe  to  the  Distributing  Reservoir. 

On  all  the  plans  except  the  first  one,  the  cost  of  the  works  has 
been  varied  by  introducing  into  the  estimates  the  three  kinds  of 
water  pipe  described  in  a preceding  part  of  this  report,  only  cast 
iron  pipe  is  used  in  Plan  Ho.  1,  and  for  the  mains,  in  plan  No. 
2,  for  the  reason  that  pipes  of  the  largest  diameters  have  not  yet 
been  made  of  the  other  kinds. 

The  estimate  of  an  Engine  House  is  common  to  the  first  three 


53 


plans,  and  that  of  the  Distributing  Keservoir  and  Distributing 
Pipe,  is  common  to  all  the  plans. 


Pump  House  50  feet  square , of  Brick . 


ITEMS. 

Quanti  ies 

Frice. 

Amounts. 

Brick,  and  laying,  

M 

350,000 

"$12  00 

4,200 

Foundation, 

400 

12  00 

600 

Excavation, 

1,500 

20 

300 

Paved  floor 

1,600 

25 

400 

Windows, 

24 

6 00 

144 

Doors, 

4 

20  00 

80 

Hoof  of  tin, 

Foundation  for  engine, 

Contingencies 

40 

50  00 

2,000 

1,800 

95,24 

476 

$10,000 

Storing  Reservoir , 50  acres,  25  feet  deep , capacity , 350,000,000 

gallons. 


ITEMS. 

Quantities. 

Prices. 

Amounts. 

Excavation  and  embankment,  C yards 

165,000 

20 

$33,000 

Puddling  earth,  

30,000 

8 

2,400 

Slope  wall, 

Gates,  screens,  &c 

5,000 

1 50 

7,500 

500 

Masonry,  setting  pipe,  gates,  &e., 

And  for  contingencies, 

For  feltering  beds, 

200 

8 00 

1,600 

45,000 

1,600 

46,600 

i Masonry, C yards 

700 

3 50 

2,450 

Clean  gravel “ 

710 

1 50 

1,065 

Cobble  stone, “ 

Add  for  contingencies, 

Land  for  Keservoir  

300 

] 

75 

l 

I 

225 

50,340 

660 

51,000 

5.800 

56.800 

54 


Distributing  Reservoir: — Extent  4 acres , depth  25  feet , capacity 
26,000,000  gallons. 


ITEMS.  j 

Quantities.  1 

Prices.  1 

Amounts. 

Excavation  and  embankment, 

47.000  C yardsj 

$ 20 

$9,400 

Puddled  earth 

20,000 

15 

3,000 

Slope  wall, 

1,000 

3 00  i 

3,000 

Masonry, 

200 

10  00  | 

2,000 

Brick  lining, 

000,000 

10  00 

6,000 

Gates 

6 “ 

60  00 

360 

Setting  gates,  sewers,  &c.,  

360 

Fence,  sodding,  graveling, 

1840  feet 

1 00 

1.840 

Keeper’s  house, .... 

1,000 

Land  for  site,  

5 acres 

8 00 

4,000 

$30,960 

Add  for  contingencies, 

3,040 

$34,000 

Distributing  Pipe , 54  mfes,  Oto 


ITEMS.  Size 

Extent — feet. 

Prices. 

Amounts. 

Street  Main,  12 

25,000 

$2  55 

$63,750 

Do.  “ 10 

13,000 

2 00 

26,000 

Do.  “ 8 

42,000 

1 55 

65,100 

Do.  “ 6 

110,000 

1 10 

121,000 

Do.  “ 4 

100,400 

75 

75,300 

Branches  for  hydrants, 8 

7,000 

50 

3,500 

$354,650 

Extra  for  rock  excavation, 

4,000 

Do.  for  Canal  and  River  crossings. 

5,000 

Fire  hydrants,  

400 

26 

10,400 

Gates  and  stop  cocks, 

500 

25 

12,500 

Branches,  elbow,  &c., • 

2,500 

Relaying  pavements, 

3,000 

$392,050 

Add  for  superintendance  and  conting’e 

30,950 

$423,000 

55 


Distributing  Pipe,  Sheet  Iron  and  Cement. 


ITEMS. 

Size;  inch’> 

Extent;  feet. 

Prices. 

Amounts. 

Street  Main,  

12 

25,000 

$2  05 

S51_ 250 

“ “ , 

10 

13,000 

1 48 

19,240 

a a 

8 

42,000 

1 21 

50,820 

a a 

6 

110,000 

94 

103,400 

i 6 66 

4 

100,400 

61 

61,244 

Branches  for  hydrants,  

3 

7,000 

48 

3,360 

$289,314 

Extra  for  rock  excavation 

4,000 

Do.  Canal  and  River  crossings, 

5,000 

Eire  hvdrants,  

400 

26  00 

10,400 

Gates  and  stop  cocks, 

500 

25  00 

12  500 

Branches,  elbows,  &c 

2,500 

Relaying  pavements, 

3,000 

326,714 

Add  for  super’ce  and  contingenc’s 

* 

26,286 

$353,000 

Distributing  Pipe  banded  Wood  and  Cement. 


ITEMS. 

!Size:inche 

Extent:  feet 

Prices 

Amounts. 

Street  main, 

12 

25,000 

$ 1 17 

i $ 29,250 

Do.  do 

10 

13,000 

1 00 

13,000 

Do.  do 

8 

42,000 

81 

34,020 

Do.  do 

6 

110,000 

65 

71,500 

Do.  do 

4 

100,400 

45 

45,180 

Branches  for  hydrants, 

3 

7,000 

36 

2,520 

$195,470 

Extra  for  rock  excavation,... 

4 000 

“ canal  and  river  crossings 

5,000 

Fire  hydrants, 

400 

26 

10,400 

Gates,  stop  cocks,  &c 

500 

25 

12,500 

Branches,  elbows.  &c 

2,500 

Relaying  pavements, 

3,000 

232,870 

Add  for  super’ce  contingenc’s 

12,130 

$256,000 

56 


PLAN  NUMBER  ONE. 


FROM  LAKE  ONTARIO,  BY  STEAM  POWER  AT  THE  LAKE— DAILY 

SUPPLY 

2,000,000 

GALLONS. 

Two  steam  engines,  

Engine  house  and  foundation, 

PRICES. 

$40,000 

AMOUNTS. 
$80,000 
i o i ton 

Supply  pipe  of  wood, 

Pier  in  Lake  and  pump  well,... 

Rising  main,  4 miles,  30  inch, 

“ ((  <«  «( 

$8,00 

$11,50 

9,50 

1 v,UUU 
8,000 
6,000 
242,880 
200,640 

Distributing  Reservoir, 34  000 

Distributing  pipe,  54  miles,  C.  I., 423^000 

, $1,004,520 

Add  tor  superintendence,  contingencies,  and  right  of 

wa3b- 25,480 


$1,030,000 


FROM  THE  LAKE,  BY  WATER  POWER  AT  CARTHAGE. 


Supply  main  from  Lake,  6 miles,  36  in., $15  00 

Engine  house,  foundations,  &c., 


Two  water-pressure  engines, each  $30,000 

Water  power, 

Rising  main,  2J  miles,  30  in., $10,00 

Supply  pipe  in  Lake,  of  wood, ....1000  feet,  s’ 00 


$475,200 

10,000 

6,000 

60,000 

15,000 

132,000 

8,000 


Distributing  Reservoir,.. 
Distributing  pipe,  C.  I., 


$706,200 

34,000 

423,000 


Add  for  superintendence,  contingencies  and  rio-ht  of 
way, 


$1,163,200 

15,800 


$1,179,000 


57"  ' 


PLAN  NUMBER  TWO. 

GENESEE  RIVER,  BY  "WATER  POWER  AT  THE  RAPIDS. 


PRICES.  AMOUNTS. 

Dam,  race  and  forebay, $ 9,500 

Two  central  discharge  wheels  and  pumps, ...each  $35,000  70,000 

Pump  house  and  foundations, 8,000 

Rising  main,  1£  miles,  20  in.,  6,50  51,480 

Water  power, 10,000 

Right  of  way, i 1,000 


$149,980 

Storing  and  Filtering  Reservoir, 56.800 

Distributing  Reservoir, 34,000 

Distributing  pipe,  C.  I., 423,000 


$663,780 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 16,220 


$680,000 

$ 9,500 
8,000 
60,000 
61,480 
1,000 


$129,980 

Reservoir  and  distribution, 513,800 

$643,780 

Superintendence  and  contingencies, 16,220 

$660,000 

SAME,  WITH  DISTRIBUTING  PIPE  OF  IRON  AND  CEMENT. 

Dam,  engines,  mains,  &c., .’ 129,980 

Reservoirs, 90,800 

Distribution, 353,000 

$573,780 

Superintendence  and  contingencies,  10,220 

$584,000 

SAME,  WITH  DISTRIBUTING  PIPE  OF  BANDED  WOOD  AND  CEMANT. 

Dam,  engines,  mains  and  reservoirs, $220,780 

Distribution, 256,000 

$476,780 

Superintendence  and  contingencies, . 8,220 


FROM  THE  RIYER,  BY  STEAM  POWER. 


Dam,  race  and  forebay, 

Pump  house  and  foundations, 

Two  steam  engines  and  pumps, each  $30,000,00 

Rising  main,  miles,  20  in., 6,50 

Right  of  way, . 


8 


$485,000 


58 


PLAN  NUMBER  THREE. 

LITTLE  BLACK  CREEK  AND  BASIN,  BY  STEAM  OR  WATER  POWER  AT  RAPIDS. 

PRICES.  AMOUNT. 

Dam,  race,  engines,  mains,  &c., $149,980 

Storing  reservoir  in  Chili, 46,600 

Land  for  reservoir 5,000 

Dam  and  supply  pipe,  20  in., 8,600  feet,  20,000 

Main  from  reservoir  to  pump,  4 miles,  20  in., $5,50  116,160 

Eight  of  way, 800 


$338,540 

Distributing  reservoir, 34,000 

Distributing  pipe, 423,000 


$795,540 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 14,460 


$810,000 

SAME,  WITH  PIPE  OF  IRON  AND  CEMENT. 

Dams,  reservoirs,  engines,  &c., $372,540 

Distribution,  of  sheet  iron  and  cement, 353,000 


$725,540 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 13,460 


* $739,000 

SAME,  WITH  PIPE  OF  BANDED  WOOD  AND  CEMENT. 

Dam,  reservoirs,  engines,  &c., $372,540 

Distribution,  of  banded  wood,  &c.,  256,000 


$628,540 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 11,460 


$640,000 

SAME  PLAN,  WITH  MAINS  ALL  OF  BANDED  WOOD  AND  CEMENT. 

Dams,  race  and  engines, $98,500 

Kising  main,  1£  miles,  banded  wood  and  cement,  2, 

14  in., $1,40  22,176 

Eeservoirs,  v 90,800 

Land  for  reservoir, 5,000 

Supply  pipe,  banded  wood  and  cement,  3600  feet,  2, 

14  in.;.. $1,40  10,080 

Distribution, 256,000 

Main  from  reservoir  to  pump,  4 miles, $2,80  59,136 


$541,692 

Add  fot  contingencies, 10,308 


$552,000 


59 


PLAN  NUMBER  FOUR. 

’honeoye  outlet,  at  smithtown,  by  gravity,  main  PIPE  20  INCHES, 
SUPPLY  2,000,000  GALLONS — MAIN  OF  CAST  IRON. 

PRICKS.  AMOUNT. 

Dam,  bulkhead  and  screens,  Smithtown, $ 5,000 

Dam  and  pier  at  Lake,  and  deepening  channel, 20,000 

Main  pipe,  14  miles,  20  inch, at  $6,50  480,480 

505,480 

Distributing  reservoir, 34,000 

Distributing  pipe, 423,000 

$962,480 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 17,520 

$980,000 

SAME  PLAN,  WITH  DISTRIBUTION  OF  IRON  AND  CEMENT. 

Dams,  pier  and  main,  as  above, . $505,480 

Distributing  reservoir, 34,000 

Distribution,  of  iron  and  cement  pipe, 353,000 

$892,480 

Add  for  superintepdence  and  contingencies, 14,520 

$907,000 

SAME  PLAN,  WITH  DISTRIBUTING  PIPE  OF  BANDED  WOOD  AND  CEMENT. 

Dam,  pier,  reservoir,  &c.,  as  above, $ 59,000 

Main  pipe  of  cast  iron,  “ 480,480 

Distribution,  banded  wood  and  cement, 256,000 

$795,480 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 8,520 

$804,000 

SAME  PLAN,  WITH  PIPE  WHOLLY  OF  BANDED  WOOD  AND  CEMENT. 

Darn,  pier,  reservoir,  &c.,  as  above, $59,000 

Main  pipe  of  banded  wood  and  cement,  14  miles,  2, 

14  in., $1.40  206,976 

Distribution,  banded  wood  and  cement, 256,000 

$511,976 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 8,024 

$530,000 


6j0 


PLAN  NUMBER  FIVE. 

SUPPLY  FROM  HEMLOCK  LAKE,  BY  GRAVITY,  PIPE  18  INCH,  2,000,000 

GALLONS. 

PRICES.  AMOUNT. 


Dam,  pier  and  deepening*  channel, $ 20,000 

Main  pipe,  14  miles,  16  in., $5,00  369,600 

“ “ . “ 4,75  351,120 


$740,720 

Distributing  reservoir, 34,000 

Distributing  pipe, 413,000 


$1,187,720 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 22,280 


$1,210,000 


SAME  PLAN,  WITH  PIPE  OF  S.  IRON  AND  CEMENT. 


Dam,  pier,  and  deepening  channel, $ 20,000 

Main  pipe,  14  miles,  16  in., $3,50  258,720 

“ “ “ 3,20  236,544 


$515,264  . 


Distributing  reservoir, 34,000 

Distributing  pipe, 353,000 


$902,264 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 8,736 


$911,000 

SAME  PLAN,  WITH  PIPE  OF  BANDED  WOOD  AND  CEMENT. 

Dam,  pier,  and  deepening  channel, $ 20,000 

Main  pipe,  14  miles,  16  in., $2,00  147,840 

“ “ “ 1,60  118,272 


$286,112 

Distributing  reservoir, 34,000 

Distributing  pipe,. 256,000 


$576,112 

Add  for  superintendence  and  contingencies, 5,888 


$582,000 


61 


Cost  of  Pumping  Water  Supplies. 


LOCALITIES. 

Daily  Supply. 

Annual  Fx- 
pensa 

Cost  per 
mill’n  g. 

Philadelphia,  aggregate, 

19,638,442  g. 

$50,184 

$ 7 01 

Fairmount,  separately, 

9,288,415  1 

5,803 

1 71 

Twenty-Fourth  Ward  Works,  separately,  ... 

727,277 

7,762 

29  23 

Schuylkill,  “ 

7,243,114 

25,104 

9 49 

Delaware,  “ “ 

2,379,635 

11,515 

13  26 

Pittsburgh,  

4,075,755 

26,000 

17  47 

Hartford,  

785,338 

5,000 

17  44 

Jersey  City, 

2,000,000 

10,000 

13  69 

Buffalo, 

3,000,000 

19,000 

17  35 

Cleveland,, 

1,000,000 

7,712 

21  13 

Detroit, 

2,142,774 

15,749 

21  37 

Chicago 

3,000,000 

25.011 

22  88 

Cincinnati 

4,618,567 

28,000 

16  61 

Cambridge, 

400,000 

3,500 

23  97 

Aggregate, 

30,645,183 

1$176,591 

$176,591-5-30,645,183=5,762. 

Average  annual  expense  of  1,000,000  gallons  daily,  $5,762. 
“ daily  “ “ “ $15  78. 


The  Fairmount  Works  are  not  included  in  the  above  aggre- 
gate, because  they  use  water  power,  and  the  Twenty-Fourth 
Ward  Works  are  omitted  because  they  are  very  unlike  the  other 
works  included  in  the  statement.  The  Fairmount  Works  are 
the  only  ones  using  water  power  from  which  complete  returns 
have  been  received,  and  they  exhibit  a very  favorable  result  as 
to  the  cost  of  pumping  by  water  power. 

Although  the  cost  of  pumping  water  at  the  Schuylkill  Works 
is  the  lowest,  yet  it  may  be  more  safe  to  take  the  average  cost  of 
pumping  at  all  the  works  which  use  steam  power,  as  an  index  of 
the  expense  of  a supply  of  water  for  this  city,  on  plans  No.’s  1, 
2 and  3 ; viz : for  1,000,000  gallons  daily  $15,78  ; and  for 
2,000,000  gallons  $31,50. 


62 


Summary  of  Estimates. 


DIFFERENT  PLANS. 


Plan  No.  1 — Lake  Ontario. 

Steam  power 

Cost  of  engine,  pipe,  &c., 

Daily  expense  of  pumping,  $66. 
Capital  at  6 per  cent,  equal  to... 


KINDS  OF  WATER  PIPE. 


Plan  No , 1 — Water  Power. 

Cost  of  engine,  pipe,  &c., | 

Daily  expense,  $16  50j 

Capital  at  6 per  cent,  equal  to j 

Plan  No.  2:  Gen.  River  water  power . 

Cost  of  engine,  pipe,  &c., 

Daily  expense $15 

Capital  at  6 per  cent,  equal  to  .... 


Plan  No.  2 — Steam  'power. 

Cost  of  Engine,  pipe,  &c., 

Daily  expenses $31  50 

Capital  at  6 per  cent,  equal  to 


Plan  No.  3— Little  B.  Creek,  water  p. 

Cost  of  engine,  pipe,  &c I 

Daily  expenses $7  50i 

Capital  at  6 per  cent,  equal  to  j 

Plan  No.  4 — Honeoye  Outlet. 

Pipes,  reservoirs,  &c., I 

Plan  No.  5 — Hemlock  Lake.  j 
Pipe,  reservoirs,  &c., I 


Cast  Iron. 

Cement  and  Iron . 

I anded  w&  cem’t 

$1,030,000 

960,000 

863,000 

401,500 

401,500 

401,500 

$1,431,500 

$1,361,500 

$1,264,500 

1,179,000 

100,375 

1,109,000 
100  375 

1,002,000 

100,375 

$1,279,375 

$1,209,375 

$1,102,375 

680,000 

584,000 

485,000 

91,250 

91,250 

91,250 

$771,250 

$675,250 

$576,250 

660,000 

584,000 

485,000 

191,625 

191,625 

191,625 

851,625 

775,625 

676,625 

810,000 

739,000 

552,000 

45,625 

45,625 

45,625 

855,625 

784,625 

597,625 

980,000 

907,000 

530,000 

1,210,000 

911.000 

582.000 

An  inspection  of  the  estimates,  and  the  above  summary  will 
show  that  the  expense  of  pumping  water  by  steam  power  from 
Lake  Ontario,  will  equal  the  interest  at  6 per  cent  on  $401,500, 
a sum  equal  to  the  cost  of  a 20  inch  main  of  cast  iron,  11  § miles 
long  ; and  that  the  cost  of  j^umjring  by  water  power  from  the 
River,  will  equal  the  interest  on  $91,250,  a sum  equal  to  the 
cost  of  two  14  inch  pipes  of  banded  wood  and  cement  more  than 
6 miles  in  length. 


63 


For  an  approximation  to  the  income  which  may  be  anticipa- 
ted from  the  construction  of  water  works,  some  of  the  most 
experienced  and  competent  engineers  have  estimated  the  rate  of 
one  dollar  for  each  person  of  the  entire  population  of  a city,  as 
sufficiently  accurate.  The  following  statement  shows  that  the 
receipts  of  the  four  cities  where  the  distribution  is  the  most  com- 
plete, (Boston,  Albany,  Jersey  City,  and  Cincinnati,)  amount 
to  an  average  rate  of  $1  41  for  each  person.  Embracing  in  the 
statement  all  the  works  from  which  full  returns  have  been  re- 
ceived, the  rate  is  94  8-10  cents,  as  is  shown  below  : 


Table  showing  the  Ratio  of  the  Income  of  Water  Works,  to  the 
population  of  the  various  Cities  supplied . 


CITIES. 

| Population. 

Receipts. 

rate  pr  head 

Philadelphia 

I 600,000 

$551,180 

$ 91 

New  York, 

934,000 

800,219 

85 

Boston,  

180,000 

316,290 

1 75 

Albany, 

66.350 

80,517 

1 21 

Hartford, 

50,000 

26,000 

52 

Jersey  City,  

30,000 

65,000 

2 16 

Buffalo,  

81,541 

f 50,000 

61 

Cleveland,- 

43,555 

;13,980 

32 

Detroit,  

70,000 

57,192 

81 

Chicago,  

115,338 

102,709 

89 

Cincinnati, 

1€0,000 

184,837 

1 02 

New  Orleans, 

i 160,000 

140,000 

87 

Plymouth 

4,500 

3,700 

82 

Bridgeport, 

1 10,000 

7,000 

70 

Malone, 

3,000 

1,500 

50 

Watertown,  

6,000 

3,500 

58 

2,403,624-5-2,534,284=948. 

2,534,284 

2,403,624 

Rochester’ 

| 48,096  i 

$45,595 

948 

The  rate  of  95  cents  per  person,  will  doubtless  be  considered  a 
reasonable  one  for  this  city,  and  with  a population  of  48,096,  (by 
the  late  census,)  the  amount  will  be  $45,691. 

In  Philadelphia  there  are  two  private  companies,  which  supply 
portions  of  the  city.  One  Ward  is  unsupplied,  and  in  another 
Ward  water  is  but  just  introduced.  600,000  is  therefore  prob- 


64r 


ably  a number  quite  as  large  as  that  actually  supplied  with 
water  in  this  city. 

The  following  estimate  is  based  upon  an  enumeration  recently 
made,  of  the  probable  water  takers  in  this  city,  within  the  pro- 
posed district  to  be  supplied.  It  is  considerably  below  the 
number  actually  to  be  found  within  those  limits,  and  the  rates 
affixed  to  each  class  are  also  low  compared  with  those  now 
charged  in  other  cities. 


Classification  and  probable  number  of  Water  takers  and 
Estimated  Receipts. 


CLASSIFICATION. 

Number. 

Ra*es.  1 

Amounts. 

Houses  of  first  class,  

150 

$30 

15 

$4,500 

16,500 

11,400 

5,600 

560 

Do.  second  class 

1,100 

1,900 

1,400 

70 

Do.  third  class^ 

6 

Do.  fourth  class, 

4 

Stores,  first  “ 

8 

Do.  “ “ 

150 

6 

900 

Stores  of  third  class,  shops,  offices,  Restau- 
rants, and  miscellaneous, 

500 

5 

2,500 

300 

Hotels,  first  class,  

6 

50 

Do.  second  class, 

6 

20 

120 

Do.  third  class  inns  and  saloons 

26 

8 

208 

Ranks, 

11 

7 

77 

Private  schools 

11 

8 

88 

University, 

50 

60 

Public  Halls 

5 

10 

60 

Arcades, 

2 

50 

100 

Poundries, 

7 

25 

175 

Manufactories,  

25 

12 

300 

Steam  engines,  

20 

15 

300 

Rreweries, 

5 

30 

150 

Bakeries,  

6 

15 

90 

Meat  markets  or  stalls, 

40 

6 

240 

Upper  halls  with  offices  and  rooms, 

10 

8 

80 

Livery  stables, 

12 

30 

360 

Private  do 

70 

6 

* 420 

Nurseries, 

3 

45 

75 

House  of  refup’e, 

60 

60 

Paper  Mill, 

150 

Ofl-f1  Works,  

75 

$45,428 

Most  of  these  systems  of  Water  Works  have  been  constructed, 
and  are  controlled  by  the  cities  whose  inhabitants  they  supply, 
and  there  is  no  charge  made,  and  no  rent  received  on  account 


65 


of  the  water  used  by  the  Fire  Departments,  or  for  other  public 
purposes.  Buffalo  is  almost  the  only  exception.  Without  naming 
the  amount  which  it  might  be  expected  that  the  city  would  pay 
for  water  for  all  public  uses,  should  the  works  be  constructed  by 
a company,  it  may  be  proper  to  remark  that  should  the  com- 
pany receive  from  the  city  and  county,  and  also  from  the  rail- 
roads, a compensation  at  the  usual  rate  paid  in  other  cities  for 
such  purposes,  it  would  raise  the  amount  of  anticipated  income 
considerably  above  that  stated  on  page  64 

The  foregoing  estimates  of  income  are  based  upon  the  receipts 
of  the  year  1859,  while  the  population  stated  is-  that  of  the  year 
1860. 

Any  extension  of  the  system  of  distributing  pipe  which  the 
future  growth  of  Rochester  may  require,  can  be  laid  at  so  cheap 
a rate,  compared  with  the  whole  expense  required  to  introduce 
and  distribute  water  at  first,  that  the  investments  in  such  exten- 
sion will  be  sure  to  pay  a favorable  per  centage  on  the  required 
expenditure.  The  whole  cost  of  supplying  54  miles  of  our  streets 
with  water  will  be  something  more  than  $10,000  per  mile.  After 
this  original  expenditure  has  been  made,  one  mile  of  the  exten- 
sion of  street  mains  will  cost  only  about  $3,500. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  hydraulic  cement  produced  no  effect 
on  water  contained  in  cemented  cisterns,  or  passing  through  pipe 
lined  with  this  material.  But  the  experiments  on  water  obtained 
from  filters,  given  on  page  36  of  this  Report,  No.’s  30,  32,  33, 
34,  35  and  37,  seem  to  disprove  this  claim.  These  samples  of 
water  were  all,  except  No.  30,  taken  from  filters  supposed  to  be 
in  good  order,  and  had  been  previously  collected  in  cemented 
cisterns.  The  different  results  in  the  five  trials,  are  probably 
due,  in  part,  to  the  condition  of  the  filters. 

From  these  results  it  should  perhaps  be  inferred  that  water 


9 


66 


passing  through  the  sheet  iron  and  cement  water  pipe,  will 
be,  to  some  extent,  impregnated  with  lime,  which  is  one  of 
the  constituents  of  the  hydraulic  cement  which  forms  the 
lining.  This  kind  of  water  pipe  can  he  seen  and  examined  at 
the  Paper  MilLlocated  at  the  Lower  Falls  in  this  City. 

Water  pipe  of  handed  wood  and  cement  is  now  in  course  of 
manufacture,  and  is  to  be  laid  down  for  a system  of  Water 
Works  at  Elmira  in  this  State. 

Should  a main  pipe  be  laid  down  from  this  city  to  Smith- 
town,  in  accordance  with  Plan  No.  4,  it  might  hereafter,  with- 
out any  change,  become  a part  of  the  necessary  main  from 
Rochester  to  Hemlock  Lake,  according  to  Plan  No.  5,  if  our 
citizens  should  deem  that  plan  preferable.  The  route  for  pipe 
or  conduit  is  identical  between  the  Distributing  Reservoir  and 
the  outlet  at  Smithtown. 

The  construction  of  a permanent  system  of  Water  Works, 
and  the  introduction  of  an  abundant  supply  of  pure  water  into 
this  City  will  benefit  all  its  public  and  private  interests,  much 
beyond  the  amount  of  income  which  may  be  derived  from 
water  rates.  So  important  an  element  of  prosperity  added  to 
our  present  advantages  of  position,  soil  and  climate,  will  be 
felt  through  almost  all  the  relations  of  industry,  enterprise 
and  capital,  increasing  to  some  extent  the  value  of  all  kinds 
of  property.  To  what  extent  the  opinions  of  the  most  judicious 
would  vary,  and  there  are  no  sure  data  from  which  a reliable 
estimate  of  the  amount  can  be  made.  The  amount  of  the 
assessed  valuation  of  real  and  personal  estate  in  Rochester  is 
$11,250,157,  and  perhaps  the  real  value  is  not  less  than  $20,- 
000,000.  The  lowest  rate  at  which,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
least  sanguine  of  our  citizens,  this  amount  would  be  increased, 


67 


would  afford  a very  considerable  proportion  if  not  the  whole 
amount  required  to  construct  Water  Works  for.  the  City. 

From  sources  which  are  deemed  entirely  reliable,  the  amount 
of  the  premiums  paid  in  Rochester  the  last  year  for  insurance, 
is  found  to  be  not  less  than  $130,000,  and  it  is  believed  that 
hot  more  than  one-half  the  property  exposed  to  loss  by  fires, 
and  which  would  be  benefitted  by  a full  supply  of  water,  is 
now  insured. 

The  difference  in  the  rates  of  insurance  in  Boston  and 
Charlestown,  cities  adjacent  to  each  other,  the  one  having  an 
abundant  supply  of  water,  and  the  other  no  foreign  supply,  as 
ascertained  from  authentic  sources,  is  nearly  \ of  1 per  cent. 
The  Croton  Water  Board,  soon  after  the  introduction  of  the 
Croton  water  into  the  City  of  New  York,  stated  the  reduction 
in  the  rates  of  insurance  in  that  City,  to  be  higher  than  this. 
It  is  believed  that  the  reduction  of  the  rates  in  this  City  would 
be  at  least  15  cents  on  $100.  Our  citizens  will  thus  save  at 
least  $19,500  in  the  amount  of  premiums  paid  annually  for 
insurance,  and  also  be  benefitted  by  an  equal  amount  in  the 
protection  afforded  by  a full  supply  of  water  and  an  adequate 
number  of  fire  hydrants  to  property  not  now  insured,  making 
an  aggregate  of  $39,000. 

None  can  doubt  that  the  construction  of  the  systems  of 
Water  Works  in  New-York,  Boston  and  Philadelphia,  were 
wise  and  beneficent  enterprises, which  have  contributed  largely 
to  the  subsequent  development  and  prosperity  of  those  Cities. 

Among  the  various  Works  which  have  since  been  constructed 
in  other  Cities,  some  have  been  completed  at  a higher  cost  rela- 
tive to  population  and  wealth  than  those  just  named,  yet  all 
would  come  within  the  range  of  profitable  and  productive  in- 
vestments, if  to  the  actual  income  derived  from  consumers, 


68 


there  should  be  added  the  results  of  the  indirect  influence  of 
Water  Works,  already  alluded  to. 

Even  when  this  enterprise  is  to  be  undertaken  at  the  public 
expense,  the  amount  of  the  expenditure  should  bear  a reason- 
able proportion  to  the  population,  the  business,  and  the  aggre- 
gate wealth  of  the  community  it  is  designed  to  benefit. 

The  following  tabular  statement  exhibits  the  character  of 
the  different  systems  of  Water  Works  in  the  country,  con- 
sidered as  provident  investments,  and  the  varied  results  show 
conclusively  that  although  the  direct  income,  together  with 
the  collateral  benefits  expected  to  result  therefrom,  may  ren- 
der it  expedient  in  any  instance  to  construct  Water  Works, 
yet  a private  Company,  relying  upon  water  rates  alone  for  a 
remuneration  cannot  safely  expend  too  large  a capital  in  the 
first  cost  of  works. 

In  many  of  our  Cities,  on  account  either  of  too  great  origi- 
nal cost,  too  low  a tariff  of  water  rates,  or  too  contracted  a 
system  of  distribution,  there  is  no  present  prospect  that  the 
supply  of  water  will  pay  even  the  lowest  rate  of  interest  on 
the  cost  of  construction  ; wThile,  in  other  Cities,  they  have  been 
so  constructed  and  managed  that  the  receipts  pay  expenses, 
an  interest  on  the  total  cost,  and  a surplus  to  be  applied  to 
the  extension  of  the  works. 

The  following  table  shows  the  relative  cost  of  Water  Works 
to  the  population,  and  also  to  the  assessed  valuation  of  real 
and  personal  estate  in  the  various  Cities  supplied  by  them, 
as  well  as  the  excess  or  the  deficiency  of  the  annual  receipts, 
after  paying  the  annual  expenses,  and  interest  at  6 per  cent, 
on  the  cost  of  the  Works : 


69 


TABULAR  STATEMENT. 


CITIES. 

•Populat’n 

Valuation. 

Ratio  of  Cost— 

Deficiency 
of  Income. 

Excess  of 
Income. 

To  Populat’n 

To  Valua’n 

Philadelphia,... 

600,000 

$155,697,669 

$ 6,50 

$0.0250 

$ 

$237,791 

New- York, 

934,000 

550,000,000 

24,62 

.0418 

632,038 

Boston, 

180,000 

263,429,000 

30,96 

.0210 

47,257 

Pittsburgh, 

100,000 

10,400,000 

.0700 

5,000 

Brooklyn, 

250,000 

191,047,136 

19,20 

.0255 

Albany,  

66,350 

26,072,955 

16,19 

.0410 

8,030 

Hartford, 

50,000 

23,378,338 

8,55 

.0180 

7,426 

Jersey  City, 

30,000 

12,932,310 

32,44 

.0752 

13,399 

Buffalo, 

81,540 

33,229,025 

6,49 

.0159 

800 

Cleveland, 

43,555 

22,000,000 

12,62 

.0250 

27,643 

Detroit, 

70,000 

16,214,893 

11,85 

.0511 

8,189 

Chicago, 

115,338 

36,553,380 

8,79 

.0277 

6,489 

Cincinnati, 

180,000 

91,961,978 

7,55 

.0147 

51,964 

New-Orleans,... 

160,000 

6,25 

64,000 

Troy, 

40,000 

12,853,290 

5,12 

.0159 

4,641 

Utica, 

25,000 

4,330,991 

3,00 

.0173 

3,200 

Rockland, 

10,000 

2,723,055 

5,00 

.0183 

500 

Cambridge, 

30,000 

10,00 

9,500 

Plymouth, 

4,500 

3,197,300 

18,22 

.0256 

1,720 

Bridgeport, 

10,000 

6,641,873 

11,50 

.0174 

1,900 

Malone, 

3,000 

696,800 

4,00 

.0172 

530 

Watertown, 

6,000 

8,33 

1,000 

New-Britain,... 

6,000 

2,000,000 

8,33 

.0250 

* Official  returns  may  vary  the  numbers  in  this  column. 


70 


By  means  of  the  Genesee  Yalley  Canal,  and  a short  line  of 
Bailroad  to  McKean  County,  in  Pennsylvania,  the  coal  of  that 
region  seems  destined,  at  no  distant  day,  to  be  furnished 
cheaply  and  in  abundance  to  this  City,  and  from  this  point  to 
the  Counties  east  and  west  of  us,  and  to  Canada. 

Originally  the  natural  emporium  of  the  beautiful  and  fertile 
Yalley  of  the  Genesee  Biver,  the  position,  facilities  and  re- 
sources of  Bochester  have  been  gradually  improved  and  de- 
veloped by  its  Canals,  Bailroads,  Lake,  Harbor,  and  the  exten- 
sive hydraulic  power  in  its  midst,  and  should  there  now  be 
added  to  these  advantages  an  ample  supply  of  pure  water,  and 
ultimately  an  abundance  of  cheap  fuel,  both  so  important  and 
essential  to  the  development  of  steam  power  and  many  depart- 
ments of  mechanical  enterprise,  the  industrial,  manufacturing 
and  commercial  prosperity  of  our  City  would  be  advanced  be- 
yond the  present  anticipations  of  its  people. 

With  a climate  temperate  and  genial  in  summer,  and  not 
rigorous  in  winter,  Bochester  is  surrounded  by  a country  of 
great  agricultural  resources,  adapted  to  the  various  produc- 
tions of  the  farm,  the  vineyard,  and  the  orchard,  and  although 
the  energies  of  the  soil  may  remain  dormant  in  the  embraces 
of  winter  a little  later  than  in  some  southerly  or  westerly  re- 
gions, yet  the  severity  of  a northerly  latitude  is  tempered  by 
the  proximity  of  our  large  lakes,  and  the  rapid  opening  of 
the  floral  season,  with  the  certain  and  early  maturity  of  the 
varied  and  bountiful  harvest,  fills  the  storehouse  and  the  mar- 
ket-stall with  a profusion,  variety  and  excellence  not  sur- 
passed in  any  other  district  of  our  favored  land.  From  gen- 
tlemen who  have  traveled  in  most  parts  of  the  United  States, 
and  also  in  Europe,  it  is  no  uncommon  remark,  that  they  had 
seen  no  market  supplied  with  meats,  fish,  vegetables,  cereals 


71 


and  fruits  of  better  quality  and  in  greater  variety  and  abun- 
dance than  that  of  Rochester,  and  also  that  with  a supply  of 
pure  water,  this  City  would  become  one  of  the  most  desirable 
places  of  residence  within  their  knowledge. 

Copies  of  this  Report  will  be  forwarded  to  the  officers  of 
the  Water  Boards  with  whom  correspondence  has  been  had, 
and  should  any  errors  be  found  in  the  Report,  in  relation  to 
the  Works  with  which  they  are  connected  respectively,  they 
will  confer  a favor  by  pointing  them  out. 

In  conclusion,  I may  be  allowed  to  express  my  obligations 
to  the  gentlemen  connected  with  the  various  Water  Works  in 
the  country,  who  have  so  politely  and  promptly  furnished  the 
information  solicited  from  them,  and  especially  for  the  per- 
sonal attentions  received  in  June  last,  which  so  much  facili- 
tated the  investigations  in  which  I was  engaged.  Among  the 
last,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  mention  the  Mayor  of  Boston, 
the  Chief  Engineers  of  the  Water  Works  in  Boston,  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  the  Superintendents  of  Water  Works  at 
Albany,  Hartford,  Bridgeport,  Buffalo,  Jersey  City  and  Cleve- 
land, 0.,  Mr.  E.  T.  Stanley,  of  New  Britain,  the  Messrs.  Wells, 
Contractors  of  the  Brooklyn  Water  Works,  Beach  & Wood- 
ruff, of  Hartford,  Ct.,  and  Starr,  of  the  Camden  Iron  Works. 

DANIEL  MARSH. 

Note  “A,”  page  50. 

In  these  experiments,  the  force  of  the  pressure  applied  to  the  interior  of  the 
pipe  was  increased  until  the  wooden  cylinders  were  slightly  checked,  permitting 
a thin  vein  of  water  to  pass  out.  The  bands  were  not  broken,  nor  was  their  ulti- 
mate strength  reached. 

Note  “B,”  pages  19  and  30. 

Originally  two  36-inch  pipes  were  laid  across  the  High  Bridge,  which  conveyed 
about  30,000,000  gallons  of  water  per  day.  Within  a few  years  an  additional  one 
has  been  laid,  and  it  is  now  proposed  to  lay  either  two  more  of  similar  size,  or 
one  of  7 feet  diameter.  This  will  doubtless  convey  as  much  water  as  can  flow  in 
the  Aqueduct. 


3 0112  098430611 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction 5 

Circular  Letter, 6 

Storing  Reservoirs, 7 & 36 

Subjects  of  Investigation, 8 

Water  Works  in  Philadelphia, 8 

Fa:  rmo  unt  W orks 9 

Water  Works  in  New-York, 10 

Boston 11 

Pittsburgh 12 

Brooklyn, 13 

Albany, 13  & 14 

Hartford, 14 

Jersey  City, 15 

Buffalo,  Cleveland,  &c., 15 

Detroit  and  Chicago, 15 

Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  &c., 16 

Louisville  and  New-Orleans, . 16 

Troy,  Utica,  &c., 16 

Rockland,  Cambridge,  &c., ...  16 

Analysis  of  Water  used  in  various  Cities, 17 

Statistical  Table  of  Water  Works, 18  & 19 

Elevations  of  different  localities, 20 

Modes  of  conveying  Water, 21 

Gravity,  Pumping,  &c., 21 

Cost  of  Pumping 21  & 61 

Quantity  of  Water  required, 22 

Distributing  Reservoir, 22 

StandPipe, 22  & 23 

Size  of  Reservoir 23  & 37 

Site  of  Distributing  Reservoir  for  Rochester, . 23 

Sources  of  Supply  for  Rochester, 24 

Genesee  River, 24 

Lake  Ontario 25 

Black  and  Irondequolt  Creeks 26 

Mendon  Ponds, 27 

Johnson’s  Plan,  — ? 27 

Mode  of  Elevating  the  Supply, 26  & 28 

Lakes  South  of  Rochester, 28 

Hemlock  Lake, 29  & 33 

Reservoirs  for  Erie  Canal 30 

Quantity  to  be  drawn  therefrom, 30 

Experiments  on  Eaton  and  Madison  Brook 

Valleys 31 

Proportion  of  Rain-fall  collected  in  Reservoirs,  31 

Drainage  Basin  of  Cochituate  Lake, 31 

Anuual  Rain-fall— Regents  Report, 32 


PAGE 

Extent  and  Capacity  of  Lakes, 32 

Quantity  to  be  drawn  daily, 32  k 33 

Route  from  Hemlock  Lake 33 

Route  from  Smithtown 33 

Water  Power  on  Outlet, 34 

Analysis  of  Water  from  these  sources, 35 

Capacity  of  various  Reservoirs. 37 

Conductors  of  Water 38 

Lead,  Earthen,  Glass,  Wood 38 

Cast  Iron, 38  & 39 

Sheet  Iron  and  Cement, 38  & 48 

Banded  Wood  and  Cement, 38  & 49 

Defects  of  Iron  Pipe, 29 

Tubercles  and  Concretions, 39 

Reports  of  Cochituate  Water  Board, 40 

Report  of  Professor  Horsford 45 

Tests  of  strength, 49  & 50 

System  of  Distribution  for  Rochester, 50 

River  and  Canal  Crossings, 51 

Estimates  of  cost 51 

Description  on  different  Plans, 52 

Estimate  of  Pump-House, 53 

Estimate  of  Storing  Reservoir, 53 

Estimate  of  Distributing  Reservoir 54 

Distributing  Pipe— Cast  Iron, 54 

Sheet  Iron  and  Cement, 55 

Banded  Wood  and  Cement,  55 

Estimate  of  Work — Plan  No.  1 56 

2 £7 

3, 58 

4 59 

5, 60 

Cost  of  pumping  water  supplies, 61 

Summary  of  Estimates 62 

Income  of  various  Water  Works 63 

Estimated  Income  for  Rochester 64 

Filtered  Water  and  Cement  Cisterns, 65 

Water  Works  at  Elmira, 66 

Indirect  benefits 66 

Diminished  Rates  of  Insurance, 67 

Productiveness  of  Waterworks 68 

Tabular  Statement, 69 

Assessed  Valuations, 69 

McKean  County  Coal, 70 

Advaiages  of  Rochester, 70 


